William Wragg, Conservative MP for Hazel Grove, has spoken in an Adjournment Debate in the House of Commons, calling for the construction of the A6-M60 Relief Road.
Across all of Greater Manchester, Stockport is the borough with the highest number of daily commuting movements in and out of the city of Manchester. Over 30,000 vehicles per day pass through the residential and commercial areas of Hazel Grove. On a daily basis there are high volumes of slow moving traffic with peak hour vehicle speeds averaging less than 10mph. This makes it one of, if not the, worst congested road networks in the country.
The A6 to M60 Relief Road, would provide 5 miles of new dual carriageway from Junction 25 of the M60 at Bredbury to the A6 near Hazel Grove. It will also provide a short link road for improved access to Stepping Hill Hospital.
It will remove unnecessary traffic from the A6 through Stockport and Hazel Grove, allow for better connection to the M60, and would directly facilitate commuting movements that support the Greater Manchester economy, not only making people’s lives easier, but also bringing significant economic benefits.
The road was recommended in a The South East Manchester Multi Modal Strategy, otherwise known as “SEMMMS” which reported in September 2001. And a further Government feasibility study published this year, confirmed that the need for the road was as great as ever.
William said during the debate “The problems identified in 2001 are still present. Indeed the worsening traffic conditions mean that the need for intervention identified in the original SEMMMS strategy is as great as ever. The Scheme will address issues around peak hour congestion, air quality, and connectivity. It will also increase public transport reliability.”
During the debate, William called on the Government’s Minister for Roads, Andrew Jones, to confirm the Government’s commitment to investing in road infrastructure. William asked the Government to support progression to a second stage feasibility study and asked when the building of this vital and long anticipated road can begin.
Adding afterwards, William said “While researching my speech for the debate, I discovered that residents of Stockport had petitioned the House of Commons, back in 1775, for improvements to the ‘London Road’, what is now the A6, and also discovered that a bypass had been agreed in 1989 but was never built. I am hopeful that with continued pressure on the Government the much needed relief road will soon become a reality.”
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