Motorists in Plymouth are being advised to prepare for up to 18 months of disruption as a major £45m upgrade of one of the city’s busiest routes moves into its second phase.
Work is about to begin on the next stage of the Woolwell to The George transport improvement scheme, prompting Plymouth City Council to outline the traffic impacts ahead and explain why further tree removal will be required.
While acknowledging the scale of the disruption, the council has emphasised that a significant number of trees originally earmarked for removal have now been retained. Residents are also being invited to attend drop-in sessions to view updated plans and speak directly with the project team.
Construction on the Woolwell to The George Transport Scheme began in September 2024 and previously led to periods of heavy congestion along the A386. The first phase of works was completed in November, and preparations are now under way for phase two.
The next phase will see Woolwell Roundabout replaced with a signal-controlled junction, alongside road widening works on Tavistock Road and improved facilities for pedestrians and cyclists.
From Monday, 26 January, five consecutive nights of overnight works will take place to remove traffic islands on Tavistock Road between the George Junction and Woolwell Roundabout. During this time, lane closures and temporary traffic lights will be in place between 7pm and 6am.
To maintain safe pedestrian access once the central islands are removed, a temporary signal-controlled crossing will be installed near the footpath link to Frensham Avenue, close to Turners of Roborough.
The main construction phase is scheduled to begin on Monday, 2 February, starting at Woolwell Roundabout and progressing south towards the George Junction. Traffic management measures will be installed overnight on Sunday, 1 February in preparation.
Plymouth City Council said it intends to keep one lane open in each direction between the George Junction and Woolwell Roundabout wherever possible, with occasional overnight closures of a single lane managed by temporary traffic signals.
Lanes will be temporarily narrowed using cones to create safe working space for construction teams. During the initial stage, northbound traffic leaving Woolwell Roundabout will be restricted to one lane for a short distance until after the pedestrian crossing, where both lanes will reopen.
Right turns from Woolwell Road onto Woolwell Roundabout will not be permitted. Instead, northbound traffic will be diverted via the newly completed Woolwell Crescent junction, which was delivered during the first phase of the project last November.
A council spokesperson said:
“Changes to these arrangements will be made as the works progress and regular updates will be provided.”
Early works during phase two will include vegetation and tree clearance, demolition of the Clock House, diversion of utilities, and installation of new drainage connections. Kerbs and boundary features will also be removed to allow space for the road widening works.
“We have already completed some site preparation work but for us to be able to widen Tavistock Road, there are some further trees to be removed,” a council spokesperson said.
“We will complete some of this clearance this winter and the rest outside bird-nesting season later this year. We would like to reassure everyone that, throughout the entire design and development process, we have always sought to minimise the footprint of the scheme and retain as many existing trees as possible.”
The council confirmed that detailed site investigations were carried out to assess tree root systems and evaluate the impact of construction activity.
“As a result, we have been able to retain 36 trees previously identified for removal, including four protected by tree preservation orders, although some of the lower branches will need to be removed to ensure adequate clearance from the new highway,” the council spokesperson said.
“We will plant 19 large, well-established trees on site, along with sedum within the new central reservation and islands.”
Additional landscaping proposals include hedge planting, wildflowers and shrubs, as well as planting around two new drainage ponds on the eastern side of Tavistock Road.
Members of the project team will be available at the Woolwell Centre between 10am and 7pm on Monday, 19 January, and Wednesday, 21 January, giving residents the chance to review plans and raise questions.
The Woolwell to The George scheme has been in development for several years and is designed to ease one of Plymouth’s most congested transport corridors. The project is seen as essential to improving access to the north of the city as it continues to expand.
Around 4,400 new homes are planned for northern Plymouth, including 2,000 homes as part of the Woolwell Urban Extension. Additional developments, such as the new district shopping centre in Derriford, are also expected to increase traffic along the route.
Last year, residents raised concerns over severe congestion during peak hours between Woolwell and Belliver. The council acknowledged the issues and introduced measures to help alleviate delays.
The full scheme carries a £45m price tag, including £24.9m of government funding. For regular updates and advance notice of road layout changes, residents can contact the main contractor, Balfour Beatty, at WTTGcomms@balfourbeatty.com
