Construction on the long-awaited Mottram bypass 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.
It comes after a decade-long saga over the multi-million pound Trans-Pennine upgrade programme, which would see a new dual carriageway created from the M67 junction 4 roundabout to a new junction on the A57(T) at Mottram Moor.
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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.
Tameside Council member for Longdendale, Coun Jacqueline Owen, told the M.E.N back in March that the general view from the public is that the bypass has been 'a long time coming.'
Residents have been campaigning for it over 50 or 100 years - depending on who you ask. "There are people that say before the Second World War there was talk about it," said Coun Owen.
"I know someone who has documents that show it mentioned on the deeds to a property, and that was before the war. I think some think they have heard it all before, but generally people are fairly positive about seeing something actually happen."
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.
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.
More information on the project is available at: https://nationalhighways.co.uk/our-roads/north-west/a57-link-roads/
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