Update on Poynton Bypass
Following the government's announcement of funding for a new A555 road from the Manchester Airport to the A6, many people have asked us if the Poynton Bypass is now going to be built. However, as always with Gordon Brown’s announcements, things are not what they seem.
The South East Manchester Multi Modal Study (SEMMMS) recommended a new road from the Airport to the A6, and then on to the M60 at Bredbury, and including a Poynton Bypass. In November 2008, the government announced funding of £165 million for this route.
However, this is only part of the cost of part of the road. It will only pay for the new road from the A6 (near the former Simpson’s sausage factory) to join the existing A555 at Bramhall, and the western section to the Airport. This will only include the northern section of the Poynton Bypass, from Brookside Garden Centre to Chester Road. It will NOT include the southern section, from Chester Road to the Little Chef in Adlington. The government is therefore only proposing to build half the Bypass.
While this may cut traffic levels on London Road North, it could increase traffic on London Road South, Chester Road and Clifford Road as people from Macclesfield and south of Poynton use this as the quickest route to the Airport.
Furthermore, the £165 million promised will still only meet part of the cost, even with the shorter route. It is unclear where the extra money, which may be up to £125 million, will come from. Stockport Council are unlikely to help, as the section of the new road that would have bypassed Hazel Grove and the A6 has been scrapped.
It can be seen that many questions remain to be answered. However, your Conservative councillors will continue campaigning for a proper bypass for Poynton.
