Hold onto your hats, because Storm Goretti is wreaking havoc on travel plans across the region, and the Tamar Bridge is ground zero for a traffic nightmare that’s got everyone talking. But here’s where it gets even more frustrating: a massive queue has formed on the approach to the bridge, causing delays that are stretching far beyond what anyone anticipated. One driver, heading east, reported that westbound traffic is gridlocked from the bridge all the way back to the Manadon roundabout—and it’s only expected to worsen as rush hour peaks, potentially reaching Marsh Mills. The Tamar Crossings webcam paints a bleak picture, with a seemingly endless line of headlights disappearing into the horizon. And this is the part most people miss: the root cause appears to be the closure of the middle lane, marked off by traffic cones, though it’s unclear if this is a precautionary measure tied to the severe weather warnings for Storm Goretti. PlymouthLive has reached out to Tamar Crossings for answers, but as of now, drivers are left in the dark.
Adding fuel to the fire, Plymouth MP Luke Pollard took to Facebook to sound the alarm about travel disruptions caused by the storm. He shared updates from the Met Office, GWR, and National Grid, all warning of significant chaos over the next 48 hours. Here’s the controversial part: while rail travel is being suspended from 6 PM tonight until Friday morning in Cornwall, and Devon’s branch lines will halt after 6 PM, no replacement buses will be provided due to hazardous road conditions. Pollard advised travelers to move early, but with roads like the Tamar Bridge already in gridlock, is that even feasible?
Google Maps has highlighted the sheer length of the traffic jam, but the bigger question remains: could this have been managed better? Bold question for you: Should authorities have anticipated this level of disruption and taken more proactive measures, or is this simply the unpredictable nature of extreme weather? Let us know your thoughts in the comments—this is one debate that’s sure to spark differing opinions.
