A555 Stockport news

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martin2345uk
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Re: A555 Stockport news

Post by martin2345uk »

Used the new road from the airport to the Woodford junction on the commute this morning. Have to say 50mph feels a bit ridiculous on a brand new wide dual carriageway...!
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DiscoSteve
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Re: A555 Stockport news

Post by DiscoSteve »

I drove the entire length this morning from A6 to Airport at around 7.15am (video to follow)

Comments:-
1. Speed limits - the A6 to A523 section isn't even 50mph its only 40mph.
2. Speed limits again - ludicrous speed limits of which no one was adhering to.
3. No-one has removed ANY grey temporary paint off the approach signs
4. Workers tinkering with stuff all along the route
5. Big queues to get off at the A34 junction - I assume thats not finished
6. A bit of a queue at the Ringway Road junction

It certainly helped me this morning because it enabled me to miss the worst excesses of the M60 around Stockport (or Prestwich as it happens)
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RickyB_uk
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Re: A555 Stockport news

Post by RickyB_uk »

DiscoSteve wrote: Mon Oct 15, 2018 08:56 I drove the entire length this morning from A6 to Airport at around 7.15am (video to follow)

Comments:-
1. Speed limits - the A6 to A523 section isn't even 50mph its only 40mph.
It was 50mph last night. It's only 40 for about 100 yards at the A6 end.
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DiscoSteve
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Re: A555 Stockport news

Post by DiscoSteve »

RickyB_uk wrote: Mon Oct 15, 2018 10:48
DiscoSteve wrote: Mon Oct 15, 2018 08:56 I drove the entire length this morning from A6 to Airport at around 7.15am (video to follow)

Comments:-
1. Speed limits - the A6 to A523 section isn't even 50mph its only 40mph.
It was 50mph last night. It's only 40 for about 100 yards at the A6 end.
I stand corrected - just saw the 40mph sign as I turned off A6
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PeterA5145
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Re: A555 Stockport news

Post by PeterA5145 »

I wonder if there are any plans to change the signage on the mainline of the M56, which currently just directs you to the airport.

The signage heading eastbound is rather inconsistent. At the airport junction it just says "Wilmslow, Wythenshawe", but Buxton then appears at Styal Road. However, it has disappeared again at the A523, where the forward directions are just Disley and High Lane.

This is a road that opens up a brand-new corridor, unlike most other recent new-builds which have just been online or parallel upgrades. It will be interesting to see what effect it has on traffic patterns. Will it, for example, make any appreciable diference to traffic volumes on the A6 through Hazel Grove? And might it relieve some of the pressure on the Sharston Spur, as there must be plenty of people on the southern side of Stockport for whom it might now offer a more attractive alternative to reach the M56?

As it's a "tangent road" for me, I'm unlikely to use it very much, and certainly not in its entirety, although using the A34 and A555 might be a more attractive option to reach the A6 heading into the Peak District rather than slogging through Great Moor and Hazel Grove.
Last edited by PeterA5145 on Tue Oct 16, 2018 12:39, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: A555 Stockport news

Post by Bryn666 »

PeterA5145 wrote: Mon Oct 15, 2018 15:17 I wonder if there are any plans to change the signage on the mainline of the M56, which currently just directs you to the airport.

The signage heading eastbound is rather inconsistent.
You'd hope, but as it's a non-trunk road that would involve laborious negotiations with Highways England. It should of course say:

(A555)
M'cr Airport
Stockport (S)
Buxton

As for the inconsistencies... much like all of the signs on the new road, that's just more awfulness. It really is shocking that highway designers can be so bad at basics.
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xfield
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Re: A555 Stockport news

Post by xfield »

Used both ways today, towards the M56, then towards the A6 on my way home. The only troublesome bit was the Ringway Road junction heading home. Everybody queuing in the left lane, to the point that it runs across the Enterprise Way junction. Meanwhile there were very few cars turning right for T3. Hopefully they're monitoring this and reconsider the cones and signs here.
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Re: A555 Stockport news

Post by si404 »

Bryn666 wrote: Mon Oct 15, 2018 15:31(A555)
Brackets? The nearby M56 spur is just signed as A556.
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Re: A555 Stockport news

Post by RickyB_uk »

A555 Eastbound from M56 spur to A6

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QFU_IPdBlk

A555 Westbound from A6 to Airport

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cyyf45z7nw

Both taken at lunchtime yesterday.
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Re: A555 Stockport news

Post by Bryn666 »

si404 wrote: Mon Oct 15, 2018 19:07
Bryn666 wrote: Mon Oct 15, 2018 15:31(A555)
Brackets? The nearby M56 spur is just signed as A556.
It shouldn't be though. HE just wanted Lymm taking off the lane 2 gantry there for cheapness not because "A556" is correct.

See (A580) at Swinton.
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xfield
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Re: A555 Stockport news

Post by xfield »

Drove towards the M56 this morning, however it looked like the T3 turnoff on Ringway Road has had its cones and signs removed.
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Re: A555 Stockport news

Post by roadtester »

RickyB_uk wrote: Tue Oct 16, 2018 08:33 A555 Eastbound from M56 spur to A6


A555 Westbound from A6 to Airport


Both taken at lunchtime yesterday.
Thanks - great vids.

Liked the A40/Northolt style low street lights about 2 mins in on the first one.
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Re: A555 Stockport news

Post by Helvellyn »

PeterA5145 wrote: Mon Oct 15, 2018 15:17
This is a road that opens up a brand-new corridor, unlike most other recent new-builds which have just been online or parallel upgrades. It will be interesting to see what effect it has on traffic patterns. Will it, for example, make any appreciable diference to traffic volumes on the A6 through Hazel Grove? And might it relieve some of the pressure on the Sharston Spur, as there must be plenty of people on the southern side of Stockport for whom it might now offer a more attractive alternative to reach the M56?
Well the A6 was queueing back to Disley this morning at 9 o'clock and it's normally fairly clear at that time, so that's :censored: wonderful :( Hopefully just teething issues, a bit of light timing tuning etc.
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Re: A555 Stockport news

Post by PeterA5145 »

Helvellyn wrote: Tue Oct 16, 2018 09:53
PeterA5145 wrote: Mon Oct 15, 2018 15:17
This is a road that opens up a brand-new corridor, unlike most other recent new-builds which have just been online or parallel upgrades. It will be interesting to see what effect it has on traffic patterns. Will it, for example, make any appreciable diference to traffic volumes on the A6 through Hazel Grove? And might it relieve some of the pressure on the Sharston Spur, as there must be plenty of people on the southern side of Stockport for whom it might now offer a more attractive alternative to reach the M56?
Well the A6 was queueing back to Disley this morning at 9 o'clock and it's normally fairly clear at that time, so that's :censored: wonderful :( Hopefully just teething issues, a bit of light timing tuning etc.
There is a give way left turn filter lane at the A6 junction as well. Another potential consequence that occurred to me was improving the attractiveness of High Lane, Disley and the entire Goyt valley as residential locations, as the new road opens up more commuting opportunities.
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Re: A555 Stockport news

Post by Helvellyn »

PeterA5145 wrote: Tue Oct 16, 2018 11:32 There is a give way left turn filter lane at the A6 junction as well. Another potential consequence that occurred to me was improving the attractiveness of High Lane, Disley and the entire Goyt valley as residential locations, as the new road opens up more commuting opportunities.
Less attractive if it makes the traffic worse! I know they want to build obscene numbers of houses around High Lane, and there's a lot of building going on in Chapel-en-le-Frith.
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Re: A555 Stockport news

Post by avtur »

At time 12:00 on the west bound video there is a truck caught in the T1 left turn only lane waiting to move right into the through lanes; I can see this being a regular problem. Although there is a sign (about 100 metres back) showing the three lane layout I think it is going to be missed by a lot of drivers. First the sign is on the right in the central island so could easily be obscured by a large vehicle in lane 2 and second it really doesn't give lane 1 through drivers (as in the truck in the video) enough time to react and move right for the through lanes.
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Re: A555 Stockport news

Post by avtur »

roadtester wrote: Tue Oct 16, 2018 09:39 ..... Liked the A40/Northolt style low street lights about 2 mins in on the first one.....
If you look closely you'll notice that the road dips at this point and you'll see a yellow tower in the central reserve (which is part of the landing light array for runway 23R which is the main arrival runway at Manchester for +80% of the time). The "low" height of the landing light is a tell tale as to how close to the runway threshold the road is. Locals are used to driving on the old Ringway Road and and seeing arriving aircraft passing over the road at little more than 100ft. the new road alignment takes the road even closer to the end of the runway. I'm sure it won't be long before some posts a video of a drive on the new road which includes an arriving aircraft in the frame. For those that haven't seen it before it can be quite an alarming sight.
Last edited by avtur on Tue Oct 16, 2018 15:36, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: A555 Stockport news

Post by Bryn666 »

avtur wrote: Tue Oct 16, 2018 11:46 At time 12:00 on the west bound video there is a truck caught in the T1 left turn only lane waiting to move right into the through lanes; I can see this being a regular problem. Although there is a sign (about 100 metres back) showing the three lane layout I think it is going to be missed by a lot of drivers. First the sign is on the right in the central island so could easily be obscured by a large vehicle in lane 2 and second it really doesn't give lane 1 through drivers (as in the truck in the video) enough time to react and move right for the through lanes.
Strikes me as another 'designer congestion' problem to me. Surely two lanes onto the M56 were needed here. But I don't like that T junction full stop.
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Re: A555 Stockport news

Post by Bryn666 »

Also the A538 arguably should go back to being non-primary now but no one thinks on strategic terms do they?
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Re: A555 Stockport news

Post by mikehindsonevans »

roadtester wrote: Tue Oct 16, 2018 09:39
RickyB_uk wrote: Tue Oct 16, 2018 08:33 A555 Eastbound from M56 spur to A6

A555 Westbound from A6 to Airport

Both taken at lunchtime yesterday.
Thanks - great vids.

Liked the A40/Northolt style low street lights about 2 mins in on the first one.
Yes - Thanks for posting the new vids: we know what to expect when we visit the area this coming weekend.
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