Macclesfield Express

Work to start on airport relief road

- STUART GREER

WORK will finally start on the £290m Manchester Airport Relief Road after the government removed the final hurdle to the scheme.

The move will clear the way for a new spur to be built to ease congestion around Poynton.

Patrick McLoughlin, the secretary of state for transport, has agreed compulsory purchase orders to buy land for the road following a public inquiry last September.

The 10km dual carriagewa­y will link the A6 at Hazel Grove to the M56 at Manchester Airport via the existing A555 in Bramhall.

More than 50 objectors spoke out against the compulsory purchase of their land during the twoweek inquiry into the plan. Documents showed the council set aside £33.2m for acquisitio­n costs, land agent fees, public inquiry costs and claims.

The three councils involved - Stockport, Manchester City and Cheshire East - approved the applicatio­n in early 2014.

Preparatio­n work has already started and some environmen­tal works could start before the end of next month with the main works starting in March.

The road is expected to take two-and-a-half years to construct and be open to traffic by autumn 2017.

The scheme includes a spur which will link to the Poynton Relief Road, to boost transport links to Macclesfie­ld and cut traffic through Poynton.

The 3km single carriagewa­y will run south across the A5149 Chester Road, west of Lostock Hall Farm, before connecting with a roundabout with link roads north and south to the A523.

Cheshire East Council is now forging ahead with the £33 million project, which could open as early as 2017 to coincide with the A6MARR scheme.

Councillor Michael Jones, leader of Cheshire East Council said: “We are committed to developing the economy and infrastruc­ture of Cheshire East and the wider region to ensure it remains a fantastic place to live, work visit and do business.

“The relief road will provide enhanced eastwest strategic connectivi­ty across the north of the borough and improved access to employment opportunit­ies at Manchester Airport and the Airport City Enterprise Zone.

“It is a key step towards being able to deliver the Poynton Relief Road, which will relieve congestion in Poynton and provide improved connectivi­ty to the strategic highway for the northern Macclesfie­ld business area.”

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 ??  ?? ●● A map showing how the relief road will run through Poynton
●● A map showing how the relief road will run through Poynton

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