Bypass: Latest News
There has been a new development in the long running saga of Poynton Bypass, which was first proposed in 1960.
Stockport and the other councils in Greater Manchester have agreed to back the proposed relief road, which will run from the A6 at Hazel Grove (near the former Simpson's sausage factory) to Manchester Airport. The Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) is willing to fund £125 million, which is added to the £165 million offered by the Government in November 2008.
However, this is a disappointingly reduced scheme, as it will only run past Brookside Garden Centre to the eastern end of the A555 on the road to Bramhall, but there will be no southern section, down to the Little Chef in Adlington. While this should reduce traffic coming into Poynton from Hazel Grove, it will not divert traffic from Macclesfield and the south away from the village.
Before any work starts, there will be a public enquiry and a full consultation process will take place on details of the project. The earliest work could start is 2012, and further delays are possible.
Expenses
Recent publicity on MP’s expenses has led several people to ask us about those paid to local councillors. We can confirm that members of Poynton Town Council receive no salary, attendance allowance or expenses, and pay their own costs, including travel to council meetings at the Civic Hall and items such as their telephones and e-mail bills.
New Council Up and Running
The new Cheshire East Council took over from Macclesfield Borough and Cheshire County Councils at the start of April. It provides over 500 individual services, including Schools, Social Services, Planning, Highways, Transport, Street Cleansing and Refuse Collection. Poynton has three (out of 81) councillors on Cheshire East: Chris Beard, Howard Murray and Roger West (BMW).
Since the new council was established, Roger West has been appointed to chair its Northern Planning Committee (covering Poynton). Meanwhile, Howard Murray will chair the scrutiny and oversight committee on Safer and Stronger Communities.
Cheshire East Council has its own website. For information on the full range of local services, please go to www.cheshireeast.gov.uk The Council's headquarters are at: Westfields, Middlewich Road, Sandbach, Cheshire, CW11 1HZ. Tel: 0300 123 55 00
Taking Poynton Forward
A major study of Cheshire’s market towns has identified Poynton as one of six that could benefit from support to boost their prosperity. (“Market town” is a general term, and Poynton is eligible for this support).
In-depth research concluded Poynton could benefit from investment. The work, carried out by consultants appointed by the former Cheshire County Council working with Poynton councillors, identified a range of “public realm” improvements to make town centres more attractive to shoppers and businesses alike.
These include improving town centre layouts, car parks and gateways, bringing empty buildings back into use, improving the focus for arts and cultural activities and realising the potential of tourism assets. The NWDA and Cheshire East are now considering the report.
Better Rail Links
Poynton Conservatives welcome the news that Arriva Cross Country have restored two trains per hour connecting Stockport to Birmingham from May 2009. There are now two direct services an hour from Stockport both to and from Birmingham, one running through to Reading and the South Coast, the other to Bristol and the West Country.
Previously Poynton residents had to travel to Manchester Piccadilly to catch these trains, now only a much shorter journey to Stockport is required.
