Cheshire East laments govt decision to pull £92m A500 road scheme
The council said it is “deeply disappointed” that a project to alleviate congestion around Crewe has been removed from the government’s Major Road Network programme.
The A500 is key link between the M6 and Crewe train station. The plan today cancelled by government was intended to upgrade the Meremoor Moss Roundabout south-east of Crewe to make it easier to get into the town.
The Department for Transport’s decision means Cheshire East will not receive funding for the project from central government. The scheme had an estimated cost of £92m, according to 2024 council papers.
The government’s decision follows the cancellation of HS2’s northern leg in 2023, which the council has previously said undermined the business case for the original road scheme. That project had proposed upgrades to the roundabout as well as dualling a 3.3km stretch of the A500 to Junction 16 of the M6.
Following then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s decision to cancel HS2 north of Birmingham, Cheshire East worked up a slimmed-down version of the A500 project that toned down the dualling element.
Cllr Mark Goldsmith, Cheshire East Council cabinet member for highways and transport said: “The Department for Transport’s latest decision means that, for a second time, a significant opportunity to back the growth potential of Crewe has been lost.
“The A500 is a vital gateway into the town and a key route for our residents, businesses and investors. Improvements to the corridor would have supported new employment and housing, improved people’s journey times, created better transport connections and provided infrastructure capable of supporting our future economic aspirations.”
Goldsmith said the cancellation of the project flies in the face of the government’s stated growth ambitions.
“Councils are being encouraged to drive economic growth, attract investment and facilitate the delivery of new homes and jobs, and so the withdrawal of support for infrastructure schemes such as this is completely at odds,” he said.
Cheshire East Council has ambitions to turn Crewe into the best small city in Europe by 2050 and Goldsmith said the cancellation of the road plans would not deter the authority.
“Despite today’s announcement, it does not change our ambitions for Crewe. We will continue to work with partners, businesses and government to champion investment in the town and unlock opportunities for future growth and prosperity.
“The new combined authority will have decision-making powers and funding for local transport initiatives, and we will work closely with regional partners to explore whether there are alternative opportunities to secure investment for delivery of the A500 scheme in the future.”
A DfT spokesperson said: “The previous government did not fund these projects. Given the challenging financial picture we inherited, we have had to make difficult decisions on a number of road projects and can only progress schemes that are good value for money for taxpayers.
“We’re backing drivers with over £1bn for 16 major road schemes that will deliver the most benefits to local people, on top of a record £7.3bn to repair local roads and fix potholes.”
