Marjon Link Road Picture Special

The Marjon Link Road scheme has been completed and is now in full operation as a two way bus only road linking Derriford Hospital and Marjon College, and joining the link across the old Airport towards The George Park & Ride. Last week I managed to capture a few photos to show the full scheme in use

The new traffic light control junction as the main entrance to Derriford Hospital.

At the moment this is the main entrance to Derriford. This is looking back towards Derriford Roundabout with Derriford to the left and The Marjon link is to the right. As well as providing a safe place to cross this busy road this layout also provides a lane for traffic turning into Derriford which cuts down on delays where traffic cant get out of Derriford as its caught behind the queue of traffic trying to get in!

Buses now turn left onto the Marjon Link

Stagecoach Trident 17297 has come out of Derriford and now turns right, then come up the this junction and takes the left onto the Marjon Link on its way to Tavistock. There is potentially an extra delay here now as buses cant use the bus lane to get out of Derriford, instead they have to take their place with everyone else turning right. I believe eventually the plan is to have two way traffic through the Derriford site for buses at least which will cut these delays.

The new bus stops at Marjon

You cant quite see the new roundabout just beyond the stops which replaces the really awkward right turn buses used to have to make to get onto this stop on the run down to the Hospital

Plymouth Citybus 250 on the 14 on the way down the new road towards Derriford.

The other advantage of this new scheme is the exit from Marjon and across the road onto the Derriford Hospital site. Blue Flash 103 shows the easy access straight across the junction into Derriford

These pics from 2002 show how awkward it used to be with the low floor fleet often grounding as they made the turn right then sharp left into Derriford.

with Citybus Volvo 182 illustrates how the junction was staggered. If no one was coming out of Derriford trying to turn right it wasn't so bad but otherwise it could be really awkward!

Its early days but the scheme does seem to be a big improvement on the old layout.