The £242 million investment includes improvements to the A57 on
the Greater Manchester side – featuring new dual and single
carriageways between the M67 and Woolley Bridge. There are also
other important improvements along the route with safety and
technology improvements either side of Woodhead Pass and a major
overhaul of Westwood roundabout in South Yorkshire where the A616
meets the A61.
The consultation started on 12 February 2018 and will close on
Sunday 25 March, with a series of public consultation events
planned and a variety of other ways for people to get involved –
including by email, post and online.
This is one of 3 major scheme milestones which will take place in
the North West in the 6 months to June.
The upgrades are funded by the Government’s £15 billion
investment in motorways and main A roads and being delivered by
Highways England.
Highways England chief executive Jim O’Sullivan said:
This upgrade is further evidence of Highways England continuing
to deliver the major infrastructure which benefits the North
West. It’s important that we take all opinions into account so
I urge anyone with an interest to make their views known.
Another 2 schemes in the North West will reach key milestones
before June. Preliminary work on the M62 junction 10 to junction
12 smart motorway scheme will begin in March. This scheme which
links the M6 near Warrington (junction 10) to the M60 near Eccles
(junction 12) will add around 10 additional lane miles to the
network, increasing capacity, and introduce new technology to
tackle congestion and keep drivers informed.
The public will also have the opportunity to find out more about
the A585 Windy Harbour scheme near Poulton-le-Fylde in
Lancashire. Consultation will take place in March on the proposed
bypass of the existing A585 at Little Singleton, improving
journey times and safety along this route.
Nationwide, almost 40 projects will hit milestones over the same
period, including 7 schemes starting construction and 4
improvements opening to traffic, adding much needed extra
capacity to some of the country’s busiest roads and improving
journeys for millions of drivers. Others will hit crucial points
– including public consultations that will help shape the
proposals, and route announcements.
April will mark 3 years since Highways England embarked on
delivering the Government’s Road Investment Strategy, the biggest
investment in the country’s major roads since the 1970s.
The schemes reaching milestones in the first half of this year
will join the 18 major projects that have already opened to
traffic since April 2015. A further 17 are presently in
construction. In the North West the new A556 Knutsford to Bowdon
bypass opened in March 2017, linking the M56 and the M6. The old
road – now the B5569 – has been handed over to Cheshire East
Council and includes improved facilities for pedestrians,
cyclists and horse riders.
Consultation events for the Trans-Pennine upgrades are being
staged across both sides of the Pennines and details can be found
on the scheme webpage.
As well as the public exhibitions, paper response forms and
consultation brochures will be available at locations open to the
public from 12 February and can be handed in at these events or
sent to the freepost address provided on the form. Further
information about the proposals and full details of the deposit
locations, which include some local post offices and libraries,
are available on the consultation page.
Anyone who wants more information or to give their views on the
scheme can also email the project team at: Trans_Pennine_Scheme@highwaysengland.co.uk or
call 0300 123 5000, Highways England’s customer care centre.
