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Ref: 09/06 11 January 2005
County Council On Verge Of Major Transport Scheme Success
Five major transport schemes in Cheshire could get a share of Government funding over the next 10-12 years.
The Government has made £1.3billion available to the North West region to fund transport projects and asked the region to recommend its own list of top schemes.
In partnership with the 6 District Councils, the County Council submitted 9 schemes for consideration by Government-appointed transport consultants WS Atkins, who considered over 100 projects put forward by local authorities and the Highways Agency across the region.
Schemes were considered for their value for money and deliverability, and were then judged on economic, social and environmental benefits.
25 schemes are to be recommended to Government, of which 4 are in Cheshire. These are:
A34 Alderley Edge and Nether Alderley Bypass
A556 (M6 to M56) Improvement
Crewe Green Link Road (Southern Section)
Crewe Rail Gateway – a major public transport interchange
Also included is the “South East Manchester Multimodal Study Relief Road Scheme”, which the County Council helped to bring forward with Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council. This will improve access to Manchester Airport and reduce congestion in Poynton.
The recommendations were made by the Executive Board of the North West Regional Assembly.
Cllr Paul Findlow, Leader of the County Council and Assembly Executive Member of the expressed his delight at the success.
Said Councillor Findlow: “Whilst the final decision on whether or not these schemes get government funding rests with the Secretary of State for Transport, the endorsement of the consultants’ proposals by the NWRA Executive Board represents a major step forward for the North West.
“The fact that 5 of these key regional schemes will improve transport in Cheshire is the result of hard work by the County and Districts Councils in ensuring they can be brought quickly forward to implementation without delay. “
And he added: “ I am particularly pleased that the Alderley Edge by-pass has been recognised as a very high priority for funding and I hope the Secretary of State will now give us the final go-ahead to build this scheme.
“The Crewe Gateway scheme for a 21st century station at Crewe is long overdue and residents of Mere and nearby communities are one step closer to being afforded relief to the high levels of traffic congestion, noise and pollution they are enduring……. albeit within a ten year programme”.
Also in the frame for possible funding, should more money be made available, is the A55/A483 junction improvements at the Chester Business Park. This is included as one of 4 reserve schemes.
Lower down the list, but still in the top 50, are Chester and City Centre improvements, the Middlewich Eastern Bypass, and equally importantly, the Northwich Vision – the town centre regeneration transport strategy.
At one stage the Northwich Vision was not in the top 50, but a review of the scheme by the consultants has promoted it into the second block of schemes.
Executive Member for Transport, Cllr John Burke, stressed the importance of the Northwich Vision.
“The scheme remains a priority for the County Council, and work will continue over the coming months to ensure it is deliverable and demonstrates value for money, “he said.
“We need to make sure that when the funding process is reviewed in the next few years that transport elements of the Northwich Vision are ready to take advantage.”
The County Council will be proving its commitment to the scheme by launching a major consultation exercise in the next few weeks which will give the opportunity for residents, businesses, development interests and others to have their say on the line of the scheme and its design.
Ends.
NOTE TO EDITORS: The major transport schemes considered by the Consultants were defined as schemes costing more than £5m but did not include schemes of ‘national significance’ (such as any modifications to the motorways in the region, and any rail schemes, apart from upgrades to stations). Schemes costing less than £5m will still be funded by local authorities.
The final list of schemes which the NWRA Executive Board recommended for approval by the Department of Transport (and the Authority that submitted them) are:
A34 Alderley Edge and Nether Alderley Bypass - Cheshire
A556 (M6 to M56) Improvement – Highways Agency
Access to Port of Liverpool Improvement – Highways Agency
Ashton Northern Bypass – Greater Manchester
Bidston Moss Viaduct (Junction 1 of the M53 motorway) – Merseyside
Blackpool and Fleetwood Tramway Upgrade – Phase 1 – Blackpool
Bolton Town Centre Public Transport Strategy – Greater Manchester
Completion of Heysham to M6 Link – Lancashire
Crewe Green Link Road (Southern Section) – Cheshire
Crewe Rail Gateway – Cheshire
East Lancashire Rapid Transit – Blackburn with Darwen
Edge Lane/Eastern Approaches – Merseyside
Glossop Spur – Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester Authorities Highway Retaining Walls Strengthening Scheme – Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester Urban Traffic Control (GMUTC) – Greater Manchester
Hall Lane Strategic Gateway – Merseyside
Leigh-Salford-Manchester QBC – Greater Manchester
Mersey Gateway – Halton
Metrolink Extensions – Greater Manchester
Rochdale Interchange – Greater Manchester
SEMMMS Relief Road Scheme – Greater Manchester
Silver Jubilee Bridge Major Maintenance Scheme – Halton
Thornton to Switch Island Link – Merseyside
Yellow School Buses – Greater Manchester |