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A556 Knutsford to Bowdon Environmental Improvement
A556 Knutsford to Bowdon Environmental Improvement
- Status
- Planned
- Located in
- Area 10
- Scheme type
- Other
The Project
The A556 is a major trunk road between North Cheshire and South Manchester. The section of the A556 under consideration is between the M6 junction 19 near Tabley/Knutsford and the M56 junction 7 near Bowdon.
To the northern end of the A556 are the communities of Altrincham, Bowdon and Hale
The section of the A556 between the M56 junction 7 and the M6 junction 19 is 6.5km (4 miles) long and is currently mainly single 4-lane carriageway with sections of dual 2-lane carriageway. Along the A556, numerous properties and field entrances have direct access onto the trunk road.
As well as the two motorway junctions, there are also two other major junctions that connect local roads to the A556. These are the Bucklow Hill junction, and Mere junction. Both junctions are signal controlled and have restricted turning movements.
The A556 currently carries approximately 50,000 vehicles per day with HGVs contributing approximately 18% of this figure. There were 200 accidents in the period 1998 to 2005, including 5 fatalities and 39 serious injuries. At present the road is heavily congested for long periods of the day.
Scheme Proposals
Two route options are being proposed (Route A and Route B). They have resulted from a study of the local area. We are currently seeking views on the two routes. At the end of the consultation period the Secretary of State for Transport will carefully consider all the views put forward and a decision will then be announced on whether the proposal is to be taken forward. If it is, a route will then be protected for planning puposes and developed in greater detail.
Route A
This option is based on the A556 RMS concept. It proposes to convert the existing A556 to a dual carriageway largely on the line of the existing road but with a short bypass around the Mere Junction. The proposed route will turn west at Church Farm to bypass Mere, with the route being constructed mainly in cutting which will help to screen it from surrounding properties and mitigate against any road traffic noise.
The route passes Mere Hall on the west before turning back to the east to rejoin the A556 before Bucklow Hill. It will then follow the line of the existing A556 to Bowdon Roundabout
Route B
This route will, as with Route A, turn west at Church Farm to bypass Mere to the west of Mere Hall then head in a northern direction to cross the A50. The route will then run parallel to the A556 and bypasses Bucklow Hill to the west before joining the existing A556 just beyond Millington Hall Lane.
From this point the route again follows the A556 to Bowdon roundabout. The majority of this section will be constructed in cutting for environmental reasons.
