Victory for campaigners - Middlewich Bypass gets the go-ahead with £47 million government funding
The government has finally agreed to stump up funding towards the Middlewich Eastern Bypass.
Mid Cheshire MP Andrew Cooper confirmed today (Tuesday) the Department for Transport has now given the green light to release around £47 million for the scheme and his office said it is hoped work will start in the next 12 months.
Cheshire East Council has welcomed the positive decision but said it has arrived too late for construction to start on site this summer as originally planned, and therefore complete by autumn 2027.
The long-awaited road was put on hold in April of last year by the previous government, which asked Cheshire East to look again at the scheme costs, which then were in the region of £95 million.
In a joint statement, Cheshire East leader Nick Mannion (Lab) and deputy Michael Gorman (Ind), said: "Delivery of the Middlewich Eastern Bypass has been long-awaited and has overwhelming local support.
"Today's news is a tremendous boost for Middlewich and the wider Cheshire East economy, and the council remains committed to delivering this scheme.
"However, the delay in the government's decision has come at a cost.
"The council submitted its revised business case to government nine months ago and we had hoped for a decision back in February, which would have allowed construction of the scheme to start this summer.
"The economic and environmental benefits of the Middlewich Eastern Bypass are clear – but we must now assess how we can deliver it in light of the challenges caused by this delay.
"This includes rising costs, the need to re-tender contracts, and the expiry of essential technical surveys, such as ecology assessments.
"We look forward to working with the Government's Department for Transport on this and will also be bringing a report to the highways and transport committee at the earliest opportunity."
The 1.6-mile bypass will connect Pochin Way in the north of Middlewich to the A533 Booth Lane in the south, including a new bridge over the Sandbach-Northwich railway line.
It will also feature a combined cycleway and footway.
The new road is expected to
- unlock up to 1,950 new homes and employment land;
- create up to 6,500 local jobs;
- relieve severe congestion at the A54/A533 junction;
- improve air quality and reduce noise in residential areas;
- enhance public transport reliability;
- improve access to the M6 and key employment sites.
Mr Cooper said: "I'm delighted to be able to say that this Labour government has agreed to fund the Middlewich Eastern Bypass.
"This follows the chancellor signalling her backing for my campaign with Sarah Russell MP to re-write the Treasury's rules so we can get more infrastructure spending in towns like ours in the North West, plus an awful lot of meetings and lobbying to persuade the government to back this project.
"Once complete, the bypass will divert lorries from British Salt and Ansa away from the centre of Middlewich and will also provide a quicker route to and from Sandbach for the M6.
"Lorries on Lewin Street in Middlewich will finally be a thing of the past."
He added: "The campaign to build the bypass has been running for more than 40 years.
"We may have got this over the line, but this victory belongs to everyone who wrote a letter, signed a petition, and campaigned hard for so many years to get this on the government's agenda.
"The tide is turning in Middlewich – the forgotten town no longer."
Congleton MP Sarah Russell said: "Lobbying government to provide the funding for the Middlewich Eastern Bypass in collaboration with Andrew Cooper has been one of my major campaigns this year.
"For the sake of our residents and the connection between our two constituencies, I'm glad we can finally confirm that the project is happening.
"I appreciate every conversation that I've had with residents regarding this, and to everyone who campaigned long before I was elected MP. This is in no small part down to you."
Would you like to know more about Sandbach?
Free from clickbait, pop-up ads and unwanted surveys, Sandbach Nub News is a quality online newspaper for our town.
Please consider following Sandbach Nub News on Facebook or Twitter
We also have a weekly newsletter with the TOP FIVE stories of the week - sign up here
Share:
