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Torbay Council is currently undertaking a scheme of improvements to the existing Tweenaway Cross junction at the heart of Torbay’s road network, where the A385 Totnes to Paignton Road meets the A380 Torbay Ring Road. The junction lies to the west of Paignton.
The junction forms a key part of Torbay’s transport network providing access both to Paignton Community College and South Devon College, existing employment areas at Aspen Way and Long Road, and future development sites at Long Road South, Yalberton and Brixham.
The junction has for many years suffered from congestion in both the morning and afternoon peaks and at the end of the school day. With the junction also operating at or near capacity, for the majority of the working day, the negative impact upon the efficient operation to both existing and planned employment areas has had an adverse effect upon the economy of the area and to the regeneration of Torbay as a whole.
The junction was identified by Torbay Council as vital to the wider improvements required by the current transport network to meet the strategy outlined in the Torbay Local Transport Plan for period 2006-2011 and when completed is intended to:
- Reduce the level of accidents at the junction;
- Increase the capacity of the junction thereby reducing congestion and journey times;
- Increase the attractiveness of the ring road as an alternative to the coast road thereby reducing congestion within Torquay and Paignton town centres; and
- Increase the attractiveness of the existing Brownfield development sites within the region, to protect the region’s Greenbelt.
Scheme Proposals
The scheme consists of measures of improvements to increase capacity to both approach and exit lanes, remove central junction obstacles, improve pedestrian/cycle crossings and improve turning lane segregation.
Increasing the junction capacity of the approach and exit lanes will allow more traffic to pass through the junction at any one time, improving journey times and reducing congestion.
The scheme has been undertaken in phases with the main phase carried out during the Autumn/Winter 2010/11. The junction now has three of its approaches and exits complete and improved traffic signals and pedestrian facilities have been implemented. Whilst this section of the scheme caused considerable disruption during periods of its construction, since completion there has been a significant improvement to congestion at this junction, especially for vehicles using the ring road. In fact from results compiled from automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) devices installed prior to these works we have seen average journey times through the junction halved since the completion of this major phase.
The junction improvements are however not yet complete and works to improve the Totnes Road East approach are due to commence in early 2012 for completion by the following Summer season. This will not only improve the entry and exit from Paignton Town Centre but also increase the capacity of the junction further, which will result in additional improvements to journey time.
There are plans to carry out further widening of the Totnes Road East in the future, subject to funding for which the necessary areas of private land have already been acquired as part of the current scheme.
Scheme Objectives
- Reduce congestion both in the vicinity of the junction and more widely across Torbay;
- Improve local air quality, thus avoiding the declaration of an Air Quality Management Area;
- Remove a key constraint to improving access to key services, including employment, education and food shopping;
- Eliminate road safety risks at a junction with heavy child pedestrian flows;
- Support investments in new employment facilities by improving links between deprived areas to the north and employment facilities to the south; and
- Improve the quality of life for residents of adjacent residential areas by reducing the amount of rat-running through these areas.
Scheme Cost/Benefit
The cost of the scheme has been estimated at £4.8 million with the majority being funded by the Department for Transport.
Computer based modelling on the scheme estimated the value of benefits to Torbay of £13.9 million for AM and PM peak weekday hours over a 15 year period.
The benefits come from the results of the improvement upon the journey times of traffic travelling through the junction to get to one of the region’s businesses, schools or residences.
Scheme Programme
Below is the outline programme for construction of the scheme:
| Work | Date |
|---|---|
| Torbay Advanced Works | September 2009 |
| Further Torbay Advanced Works (Including Demolition) | January 2010 |
| Land Negotiations | September 2010 |
| Start Construction of Interim Scheme (Phase 1) | September 2010 |
| Finish Construction of Interim Scheme (Phase 1) | July 2011 |
| Start Construction of Final Scheme (Phase 2) | January 2012 |
| Finish Construction of Final Scheme (Phase 2) | June 2012 |
| Maintenance Complete | June 2013 |
Related Documents
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Tweenaway Cross Scheme - Phase 1 Scheme Drawing
Plan of the proposed junction improvements at Tweenaway Cross in Paignton to be constructed between September 2010 and June 2011
Last updated: 07/09/2010, 10:04am (850 KB) -
Full Scheme Plan for Tweenaway Cross Junction Improvements
Full Scheme Plan for Tweenaway Cross Junction Improvements
Last updated: 03/02/2010, 5:42pm (623 KB) -
Tweenaway Cross Compulsory Purchase Order
Compulsory Purchase Order dated 7 June 2010
Last updated: 14/06/2010, 1:46pm (2.2 MB) -
Tweenaway Cross CPO Plan
Plan showing the areas relating to the Compulsory Purchase Order for the full Tweenaway Cross Scheme
Last updated: 14/06/2010, 12:24pm (1.3 MB)
Related Tasks
Contact Highways Development & Traffic
- Tel: 01803 207835
- Email: Highways@torbay.gov.uk
- Fax: 01803 207670
