Cheshire’s transport network benefits from £180m investment

Cheshire County Council has revealed an investment of £180m has been pumped into Cheshire's transport and highway network over the past two years.

The figure was revealed in the council's local transport plan progress report, with the majority of the funding, a total of £98m, spent on supporting passenger transport activities.

This included:

• A total of 175 highway maintenance schemes have been carried out resulting in the improvement of more than 37 kilometres of Cheshire's highway network and six major bridge strengthening schemes have been completed
• 185 bus stops being improved and 121 new bus shelters erected. Records show that an additional 4.4m passenger journeys were made by bus over the past two years
• Further progress has been made in tackling the traffic problems associated with the journey to and from school. 56 School Travel Plans have been completed with a provision of measures including the construction of six puffing crossings and four zebra crossings
• Numerous measures have been introduced through the council's integrated area programmes to reduce congestion with an aim to limit traffic growth to 5% on roads by 2011

The Government office North West has responded favourably to the council's report and praised the progress achieved as 'excellent' within key areas of work including the council's network management plan, rights of way improvement plan and road safety.

The government also highlighted the significant progress made with the draft 'accessibility strategy' which aims to maximise access to key services.

Local achievements have included:

In Chester:

• The completion of the remodelling of the square outside Chester Railway station
• The amalgamation of community transport in Malpas linking school transport, day care and scheduled shopping trips

In Congleton:

• Completion of work to enhance Congleton Bus Station, improving accessibility and the quality of passenger waiting facilities
• Traffic calming schemes have been introduced in Congleton, Alsager and Middlewich

In Crewe:

• Over 2,000 passengers a month make use of the Crewe Flexi-Rider service which also hosted the first national trial of the Department of Transport low cost smartcard project

In Macclesfield:

• Construction work is underway on the A34 Alderley Edge and Nether Alderley Bypass

In Vale Royal:

• A junction improvement scheme was completed to reduce congestion and improve bus access into Gadbrook Business Park in Northwich
• An improved ramped access to the southbound platform has been installed at Winsford Railway Station