Cheshire East promises biggest transport spend in 10 years
The local authority has set out a plan to improve its roads and transport network, committing £53m across the 2025/26 financial year.
Cheshire East said the focus will be on improving the roads people use the most, enhancing bus services and providing more and better routes for those walking, wheeling or cycling.
This includes the council’s own investment of £14.4m for activity this year, added to government funding of more than £38.6m. This includes a transport grant of £7.75m, which will be used for a range of transport improvements, plus a £5.4m local bus grant, and up to £5.5m additional government funding for highways maintenance works.
Cllr Mark Goldsmith, chair of Cheshire East Council’s highways and transport committee, said: “This investment will deliver real improvements that people will see and feel in their daily lives – spending money where it will have the greatest impact.
“Whether it’s smoother roads, better bus connections, or safer routes for walking and cycling. We’re committed to making Cheshire East a better place to live, work, and travel through safer, greener, and more accessible transport options.”
Over the next 12 months, the council said it will:
- Deliver the biggest level of investment in 10 years in improving the condition of roads across the borough – prioritising road safety and the routes that make the most difference to people.
- Complete a programme of schemes that will see key A-roads across the borough treated – including the A530 Middlewich Road in Wistaston, the A534 Congleton Road (between M6 Junction 17 and the Arclid traffic lights), and the A500 Newcastle Road in Haslington. Works started earlier this month and will continue during summer.
- Carry out investigation and repair works along the B5470 Macclesfield Road in Rainow, which was closed due to a landslip.
- Complete phase one of a 1.5m walking and cycling route between Wilmslow town centre and Handforth, along the existing B5358 Manchester Road. The scheme improves safety by separating the route from traffic and giving greater priority for pedestrians and cyclists at junctions. It will also include a new pedestrian crossing at the junction with Station Road.
- Repair and reconstruct a collapsed section of the Mill House Bridge on the A523 Manchester Road, Adlington, as well as replace the bridge over Waterless Brook along the B5391 Pickmere Lane in Tabley, which had to be demolished earlier year.
- Continue and enhance the council’s ‘16-19 Bus Saver’ discount scheme for local young people aged 16 to 19, also upgrading bus stop improvements and continuing the Silk Town Ticket weekly bus pass trial, which works across four service operators.
- Extend the demand responsive ‘Go-Too’ bus service to the south and west of Nantwich.
Cllr Goldsmith added: “Our priority is to keep Cheshire East moving and help people to get from A to B – whatever form of transport they use.
“Clearly, despite the significant investment we will make this year, we still don’t have enough money to do everything we’d like to do. This is especially true for roads maintenance.
“We will continue to push the case for more and sustained government funding for our highways network and prioritise where we make investment – focusing on using the right treatment, in the right place at the right time.”
All annual planned highway schemes for 2025-2026 are viewable on the council’s online interactive mapping system.
So what the council are saying is it will be another 10 years before the biggest town in cheshire not to have a train station will get one! absolute JOKE!
By Northwich
Why not support the South-East Stockport by-pass connecting M62 and A555? Get all that unneeded heavy traffic off the A6 between Stockport and Hazel Grove?
By Anonymous
Where is the promised extension to the connect 2 path from Leighton to Nantwich?! Currently we have a lovely smooth cycle lane alongside the new road which goes to absolutely nowhere! Cheshire East what happened?
By John
Cheshire East Council and the LGA have demanded the powers to stop the scourge of vehicle footpath parking. The Cross Party H of C Transport Committee have concluded that footpath parking should, as in London and Scotland be banned (2019). When therefore, within the powers they already hold and given their desired improvements going to stop QUARRY vehicles using the A537 footpaths as race tracks throughout the night and permitting them to park on juction footpaths with double yellow lines from 6.30 AM in the morning outside residential properties. When are Cheshire East Council going to recind the right they gave, ultra vires, to the businesses around the A537 to park their vehicle on junction footpaths and other footpaths with double yellow lines and to use them as a day long public car park. When are Cheshire East Council going to stop taxis from parking over the footpaths within 32 feet of the busy junction of Green Street on the A537 for no obvious reason. Circa 200 per annum. Please pray tell.
By Anonymous
Still no bus route on the A34 from Congleton to East Didsbury. The traffic in rush hours is getting busier and busier. It will only get worse with all the new houses being built. I moved here 8yrs ago and have noticed the traffic has got worse. A regular bus to East Didsbury, would help ease the traffic.
By Peter
The current cycle lanes on Manchester Road Wilmslow are used for parking especially outside the Porsche showroom.
By Caroline
Get MIDDLEWICH SORTED OUT WITH THE BY PASS AND STOP LEAVING MIDDLEWICH ON ITS OWN ALL THE TIME WITH NOTHING IN IT FOR THE CHILDREN
By Anonymous
Road Maintenance should be a priority especially on the side roads. We are practically driving on roman roads
By Anonymous
Oh dear heard all of this before. Nothing new sadly.
By Anonymous
These are empty words if you live in Middlewich.Town bypass still not completed when other towns get theirs yesterday.Still waiting for train service to to be reinstated but with the excuse ” not for another ten years”.pitiful.
By Anonymous
Don’t see any mention of the Middlewich bypass, This is long overdue and needs sorting now and not in the future.
By Anonymous
As usual Alsager doesn’t enter into this allocation. Roads, pavements and cycle ways here are shameful. Though there is enough monies to upgrade the central car park, which is very poorly used due to the imposition of charging.
By Anonymous
I see yet again, no mention of any road improvements in Middlewich or surrounding area.
By J K Preston
As someone else has stated, when will the Middlewich by-pass be started…Traffic is a disgrace. No train station to also ease traffic…
By RayC living in Middlewich
Great to know the roads will be improved but what is really needed is a Trainline through Middlewich. The money will be quickly spent with not a lot of difference made because more and more housing is being planned. Towns are gridlocked. A Trainline will improve traffic, expand public transport which in turn supports Jobs and economic growth inviting in more business. Spend this money towards something that will really make a difference now and in years to come.
By Anne Holdcroft
Again nothing for middlewich. Wonder why we should pay our local taxs
By Anonymous
I see it’s all near Manchester what about the small towns were the roads are atrocious Alsager for instance you can see the old cobbles in the road from back in early 19 hundreds right in the middle of busy junction
By Ian caddy
As a resident of Wilmslow and a pensioner, I would like to see a return of a bus service to Stockport and Manchester as I cannot use my bus pass on trains. Also, this would be better for younger people seeking work as there are more job opportunities in these towns and trains are expensive.
By Glen
So all the nice places are getting a face lift. Nantwich handforth, wilmslow once again but sod Crewe we just get a carpark.
By Rob
What about the bypass. In middlewich?
By Stephen Williams
Where is the Eastern bypass for Middlewich. There is no mention of it here. This has been happening for many years and still no bypass. Cheshire East does not keep its promises.
By Anonymous
Fix the atrocious roads in Alsager which make cycling very dangerou and damage cars which have to use them daily.
By A resident
Will make a change from spending every penny in Crewe and ignoring the rest of Cheshire East
By Anonymous
More promises from a council that cannot manage its existing finances. Where will this money end up? 9999
By Dpk
If this is true then he will prioritize a train station in Middlewich
By Steven Keegan
What about Middlewich? All we get are new house states, hikes in parking charges resulting in people parking on surrounding roads to get to the few shops we still have left….not sure how long we will have them due to Cheshire East’s ludicrous behaviour towards Middlewich & it’s residents. We have been waiting for years for a bypass that is desperately needed but Cheshire East spend our money on every other town but ours😡
By Anonymous
MIDDLEWICH is a town in Cheshire, just thought i get that out there. No mention of by pass or train station for one of your biggest towns yet again, The only by pass we can rely on is the funding by passing our town. Get a grip an put something in rather than using it as a dumping ground and stripping the life out of the towns services.
By Anonymous