Main work on the long-awaited Charlton Road junction improvement scheme in Crownhill is planned to get under way in mid-April, following a decision to award the construction contract.
The scheme will reinstate the right turn from Tavistock Road into Charlton Road (which was closed during construction of the Derriford Transport Scheme), via a new signalised junction.
The junction had been a known accident hotspot and there were concerns about safety there for a number of years. A scheme was therefore developed to reopen the turning under signal control but work, which was originally due to get under way in 2020, faced several setbacks.
While initial preparations were carried out (including widening to improve the visibility of the entry to and exit from Charlton Road), other complications then came to light. They include the need to lower a large gas main in the central reservation to create a longer right-turn lane and provide adequate room for vehicles to wait at the new signals (as well as a safe stopping distance).
A construction programme and traffic management plan that will allow us to close Charlton Road at the Tavistock Road end to traffic (reducing the impact on Tavistock Road and the overall time for the work), while also ensuring residents can get to and from their homes as easily as possible, have now been agreed.
Enabling works are scheduled to begin on Monday 16 March, starting with the construction of a site compound for the contractor on William Prance Road. This will be followed by work to create a temporary ‘vehicles only’ link between Charlton Road and Colborne Road to help residents get in and out, via William Prance Road.
This temporary access will make use of a new walking and cycling link currently being constructed by Persimmon Homes. For safety reasons it will be for vehicles only during the works but once they are complete it will be closed again to traffic.
The main work is expected to start in mid-May and take six to eight months, during which time the Tavistock Road end of Charlton Road will be closed.
Two lanes will be maintained in both directions on Tavistock Road throughout, although bus lane restrictions will be suspended on the inbound side (meaning the bus lane will be open to all vehicles), from just after William Prance Road to just before the Plumer Road slip. On the outbound side, the slip lane for William Prance Road will be shortened slightly (but remain open).
These measures will enable the team to safely construct the new right turn slip lane to Charlton Road and install the new signals on Tavistock Road (southbound) and Charlton Road.
Temporary speed limit changes that were originally expected on Tavistock Road are no longer required.
Councillor John Stephens, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Transport, said: “The residents of Charlton Road have been waiting a number of years for the turning into their road to be reopened and will be relieved to know we finally have a start date for these improvement works.
“When complete, the scheme will reinstate direct vehicle access into and out of their neighbourhood.
“We are pleased to have been able to negotiate the temporary vehicle link at the other end of Charlton Road, which will enable us to close the Tavistock Road end and complete the works in a shorter timeframe.”
The decision to award the construction contract to South West Highways and its parent company Taylor Woodrow was taken today and may be subject to call-in. It can be viewed on our decisions page.
Planning consent for the temporary vehicle link between Charlton Road and Colborne Road was granted this week and can be viewed on our planning applications page (reference 26/00044/FUL).
For more information see our Charlton Road/Tavistock Road junction safety improvements page.
