Tameside politicians have hailed the approval of a long-awaited bypass road as a ‘great result’.
Construction on the Mottram bypass – first officially mooted more than ten years ago, but which has been in the pipeline for decades – is set to begin next year after proposals were approved by the government. The A57 Link Roads bypass, which will ease congestion on the busy route between Manchester and Sheffield, has been given the final seal of approval by Transport Minister Huw Merriman.
The multi-million pound Trans-Pennine upgrade programme would see a new dual carriageway created from the M67 junction 4 roundabout to a new junction on the A57(T) at Mottram Moor.
Council leader Ged Cooney said: “This is a great result for Tameside and local residents and businesses. We have for nearly 50 years supported the A57 Link Road project – it will give an improved journey and faster commute times for thousands of road users every day and also lead to additional economic activity in the towns and villages on the current route.
“These changes to the roadway will also help alleviate pressure on the local roads in the area and make the local villages safer both in terms of road safety and cleaner air quality.”
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Stalybridge and Hyde MP Jonathan Reynolds also welcomed the announcement of the approval of the development consent order, which he described as a ‘victory’.
“For me this is the culmination of twenty years of work since I first attended a meeting of the Longdendale Siege Committee as a local resident in 2003,” he added.
“For our area, it is the culmination of work that goes as far back as 1965. Many, many people have been involved in this campaign over that time as successive projects were proposed and then stalled. I can’t tell you just how many Roads Ministers I’ve met with, but we do finally appear to be on the brink of real progress.
“The prospect of resolving the permanent traffic jam at the end of the M67 is a very significant one for the whole area.
“It will have a significant impact on quality of life in Mottram, Hattersley, Hollingworth and Broadbottom, but also help on the other side of the Borough as traffic no longer needs to come past Stamford Park to get to Stalybridge and Mossley.”
Conservative MP for High Peak, Robert Largan, celebrated the news by telling residents he was due to open a ‘very special magnum of champagne’ that he saved for the day the bypass was approved.
Around 25,000 vehicles currently travel along the A57 through Mottram in Longdendale every day, including more than 2,000 heavy goods vehicles travelling between Manchester and Sheffield.
A new single carriageway would also be constructed to connect to the A6018 Roe Cross Road and a new single carriageway linking the A57(T) at Mottram Moor to a new junction on the A57 at Woolley bridge.
Building work on the new bypass is expected to start next Spring and will take thousands of vehicles away from the congested village of Mottram once completed.
Mr Merriman approved the recommendation by the Planning Inspectorate to give the National Highways project the green light after six months of scrutiny which ended in May.
Stewart Jones, National Highways’ Delivery Director for major projects in the North West, said: “This news is a real landmark – not least for everyone living alongside the existing A57 who has had to put up with rising congestion, road noise, pollution and disrupted local journeys over the years as vehicle numbers have risen.
“The project will also provide relief for the thousands of commuters, hauliers and other drivers who rely on the vitally important Manchester to Sheffield route every day and we’re looking forward to the spring when we can start building.”
National Highways is currently planning a series of ‘next steps’ public information events which will take place at locations around Mottram in the new year.
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