Cheshire East Council is urging residents, businesses and road users to get involved in a second phase of consultation for the A6-to-Manchester Airport Relief Road.
Around 9,000 people responded to the first stage, which took place between October 2012 and January 2013 and asked for views on the overall scheme and more specific information on different junction options along the proposed route.
Following analysis of the feedback, Stockport, Cheshire East and Manchester city councils have revised proposals to develop an emerging preferred scheme.
The second phase of consultation will run until July 19th.
Councillor Michael Jones, Leader of Cheshire East Council, said: "This is a major opportunity to influence a hugely-significant scheme that aims to create jobs, improve communities and boost economic growth by greatly improving connectivity.
"It is crucial that local residents and businesses have their say and influence this exciting and long-sought-after scheme.
"The road will deliver greater business integration and productivity by improving traffic efficiency, promote job creation and regeneration, reduce the impact of traffic congestion on communities, improve safety for all road users and support greener, lower-carbon travel.
"We also want to ensure that any negative impacts on the A6 at Disley, the Poynton relief road scheme and the A34 at Handforth are kept to an absolute minimum as part of this project.
"The scheme needs to be delivered in a way that facilitates a connection for the Poynton and Woodford relief road and in doing so, improving strategic road links to Macclesfield."
Part of the wider South East Manchester Multi-Modal Strategy (SEMMMS), the A6-to-Manchester Airport Relief Road is a proposed dual carriageway.
It would be approximately six miles long and link 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.
By improving access to south east Manchester and east Cheshire, the relief road is expected to benefit communities and the local economy, in particular assisting the potential growth of Manchester Airport and Airport City, as well as areas of Cheshire East, Stockport and Manchester.
The Council says once completed, the scheme could deliver substantial benefits to the wider economy, generating additional economic output for the region of up to £2.5 billion, as well as contribute towards the creation of up to 5,000 new jobs due to improved connectivity.
Once the results of the second phase of consultation have been analysed, the preferred scheme will be considered by the three authorities for planning submission. A planning application for the scheme is due to be submitted in September, 2013.
To find out more about how the scheme, visit www.semmms.info.
People can also email [email protected], call 0161 474 2055 and write to SEMMMS Project Team, Stopford House (Fred Perry House), FREEPOST, Stockport, SK1 3YQ.
An exhibition will be held at Handforth Dean Community Centre, Old Road, Handforth on Monday June 17th.
Comments
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FACT: The traffic modelling used to justify this road has been discredited by independent experts: traffic congestion in South Manchester/NE Cheshire occurs North/ South. This road is East/ West, taking traffic off the A6 at Hazel Grove and dumping it on the A34 and vice versa. The scheme does not solve the problem, merely moves it around.
FACT: This road adds to air pollution in areas currently under Air Quality Management i.e. areas that exceed stipulated legal levels as agreed by the EU (and the UK). It also is likely to tip some areas over the limits. This road is potentially illegal on this basis.
FACT: The economic benefits of this road are vague and unsubstantiated, despite repeated requests for the evidence.
FACT: This road is NOT multi - modal. Cheshire East have reduced bus services in Poynton to skeletal levels, forcing people in to their cars through no other choice.
FACT: Cheshire East are having to invest more money to mitigate the additional traffic generated by this road eg Disley.
FACT: This road will induce more traffic from outside the area (Yorkshire, Derbyshire and beyond as quoted in the SEMMMS business case) as it is simply a feeder road to the Airport. Local traffic will not improve, and in fact, is highly likely to get much worse.
FACT: The route of the road obliterates protected ancient woodland, carves up Cheshire's greenbelt and will lead to infill development, thus removing the barrier between North East Cheshire and Greater Manchester urban sprawl.