Cheshire East Council is about to launch a public engagement exercise for two major road schemes for Crewe, ending frustration for motorists and unlocking further economic growth in the town.
Plans to reshape the Crewe Green Roundabout to relieve a major pinch-point on the outskirts of Crewe will go before the public this month, alongside proposals for removing one of the town’s most frustrating bottlenecks – the Sydney Road Bridge.
Cheshire East Council plans to replace the signal-controlled, single-lane road bridge with a bridge wide enough to accommodate two-way traffic and safer routes for cyclists and pedestrians.
The scheme to relieve the daily congestion at Crewe Green is expected to begin early next year. The works to replace the Sydney Road Bridge have been coordinated to follow directly on from this.
Both schemes will be subject to further consultation through the normal planning process.
Crewe Green Roundabout, on the north-east side of the town between Crewe and Sandbach, is a key gateway to Crewe and is located within its northern growth corridor. It is currently a frustrating bottleneck for drivers heading to and from the M6 motorway.
Enlarging the roundabout to enable direct access from Sydney Road and Hungerford Road, and removing signalling at other junctions, is intended to significantly improve traffic flow and provide safe crossing of the junction for cyclists and pedestrians.
A public consultation took place last August and resulted in a preferred design which would see the existing roundabout significantly extended into an oval shape, with the addition of combined cycle/footways and the removal of existing traffic signals.
Clearer lane directions and enhanced traffic management, including wider junctions, will contribute to improved traffic movement and reduced queueing.
The council is also bringing much-needed relief to users of the Sydney Road Bridge, which has been single lane and signal controlled for many years. Safe routes for pedestrians and cyclists will be included in the scheme to replace the existing stretch of road with a two-way carriageway.
This, together with the enhancement of the Crewe Green roundabout, will make a significant contribution to the future economic growth of Crewe as well as improving air quality and journey times for traffic and emergency vehicles heading to and from Leighton Hospital.
Councillor David Brown, cabinet member for highways and infrastructure, said: “This council has made significant improvements to the road infrastructure around Crewe. The Crewe Green Roundabout and Sydney Road Bridge schemes represent the next phase in our highways strategy.
“These schemes will play a major part in supporting the economic growth of the town, making it attractive to business investment, while reducing the frustration felt by motorists and commercial road users.”
The public engagement will start on March 20 and will run until midnight on April 9. An exhibition and printed literature will be available to view and both manual and digital feedback facilitated.
Leaflets on the schemes will be accessible at the Municipal Buildings, Crewe, Crewe Lifestyle Centre, Manchester Metropolitan University, Crewe Green Road campus, and at Leighton Hospital.
The three-week public engagement exercise will also include opportunities to meet and discuss the proposals with the strategic highways team. These will take place on March 25 (10am – 3pm) and March 30 (10am – 8pm) at Hunters Lodge, Sydney Road, Crewe. These will include both the Crewe Green Roundabout and Sydney Road Bridge schemes.
A further event – for the Crewe Green Roundabout scheme only – will take place on April 1 (10am – 3pm) at Yoxall Village Hall, Crewe Road, Haslington.
More information will be published on the Cheshire East Council web site.
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