Airport relief road rumbles through planning

The first phase of consultation on the A6 to Manchester Airport Relief Road is due to close a week from today, on 25 January.

Stockport, Cheshire East and Manchester City Councils will analyse the feedback received to help determine a preferred scheme. A second phase of consultation will take place in spring when the three councils will seek views on the preferred scheme, prior to the submission of a planning application in summer.

Part of the wider South East Manchester Multi-Modal Strategy, the A6 to Manchester Airport Relief Road is a proposed dual carriageway, approximately 10km long linking the A6 at Hazel Grove to the eastern end of the existing A555 at Woodford Road, Bramhall and from the western end of the existing A555 at Wilmslow Road, Handforth to Manchester Airport.

The scheme includes provision of a segregated pedestrian and cycle route adjacent to the new road and the existing length of the A555, which is intended for both commuting and leisure use.

In addition, a package of environmental mitigation measures will seek to limit impacts resulting from the scheme, which will help secure substantial environmental, safety and social benefits.

The road is aimed at reducing congestion to help the local economy, in particular assisting the growth of Manchester Airport and Airport City as well as areas of Stockport, Manchester and Cheshire East.