A pre-planning consultation has begun allowing residents and stakeholder groups to view the proposed scheme for dualling the A500 road between Crewe and junction 16 of the M6.
Cheshire East Council unveiled its initial preferred scheme in May (2017), proposing the most suitable option would be to widen the road to the south, rather than the north.
Detailed plans and exhibition materials have now been made public. The consultation runs until November 1. It is proposed to turn a 3.3km length of the A500 between the M6 and the Meremoor Moss roundabout into dual carriageway.
The council is seeking the views of parish councils, stakeholder groups, commercial transport operators and road users.
By widening the highway to the south, instead of the north, the scheme will protect a popular ecological site known as ‘the duckaries’. It would also mean less disruption to power lines and underground utility services, while also avoiding any construction impact on the recently-developed ‘pinch-point’ improvement scheme to the north.
Dualling the A500 has been a long-standing ambition of the council as it will enable a smoother flow of traffic between the M6 and Crewe. It is seen as a key infrastructure project, which is essential to support housing and employment growth around Crewe, as outlined in the Local Plan and in the vision for the Constellation Partnership.
It will also create a much-improved access link for HS2 construction traffic.
The £57m scheme will eventually go through the planning process and a business case developed to secure government funding.
To view the scheme in detail, visit the Cheshire East Council website at: www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/a500dualling
No comments:
Post a Comment