Congleton "Link Road"

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wrinkly
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Congleton "Link Road"

Post by wrinkly »

This road, proposed by Cheshire East council, has already been mentioned in two other threads - this one, where I first heard of it, and this one - so perhaps it's time it had a thread of its own.

There's masses of stuff about it here, most of which I have not read.

It's basically an S2 bypass round the NW of Congleton from the A534 coming from M6 J17 (itself the subject of a pinch point scheme) to the A536 for Macclesfield.

Its most notable feature is perhaps the omission of a southward link to the A34. Its second most notable feature is perhaps that its western end is close to an existing tight 90 degree bend in the A534 which the new road will do nothing to remove.

An existing minor road, Wallhill Lane, starts at a junction with the A534 at that very bend and follows the sort of route you would expect the missing A34 southern link to follow. Traffic calming is apparently proposed to stop it being used as a rat run:

Wallhill Lane supplementary report

One place where there's a map of the whole route is at the very end of this.
fras
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by fras »

It really is quite disgraceful that the Q&A on the web pages for the Link Road specifically mentions the A34,and why the new road would not link to it. Reason given is "insufficient traffic to justify", yet now we have a consultation on how to stop this traffic from using the local lanes !! So according to Cheshire East there is almost no A34 traffic that would use the new road, so no justification for the link to be extended south, but we still need to do something about it, including preventing HGVs from trundling down the local lanes!

You really couldn't make it up. I am sorry to have to say this, as I know there are highways engineers post on here, but certainly here in Cheshire East, I do wonder at the intellect of some of those in the Highways Department who plan new roads. Or is it the councillors forcing bad solutions on them ?
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wrinkly
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by wrinkly »

The OP mentions two other threads in which this road has been mentioned. Since then it has also been mentioned in this one.

The council has now submitted it to the DfT for confirmation:

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/2632858

A public inquiry could follow.
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poshbakerloo
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by poshbakerloo »

I just find the southern end a silly design, I wouldn't mind if this was to allow for a future extension but I doubt it. It should curve off to the M6 at the end if that is what the road is meant to serve.
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by Bryn666 »

Cheap and presumably not very cheerful - the bulk of traffic using the A34 aiming for the M6 goes to J17 in my experience. Still a bit underwhelming though as by now we should be planning a dual carriageway up to Handforth...
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by poshbakerloo »

I think the long term plan by Cheshire to make it a new 'strategic route' from the M60 at Bredbury down and across to the M6. A route I agree with but because it its huge variation in quality it will never be of any economic use. Macclesfield will be a huge pinch point at the end of The Silk Road.
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A303Chris
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by A303Chris »

The DfT have just approved the Highways Act Orders for this road here which includes the orders and Inspectors report.

The approved plan can be found on the Cheshire Link Road page on the Cheshire East web page here.

The page also contains the latest update which states subject to obtaining the orders from the DfT, and given tenders have been submitted work will start this summer.

However, looking at the plans why does it stop on the A534 to the west of the town and not carry round to the A34. It seems its only two thirds of a bypass. I expect that traffic approaching from the A34 south will be sent along the A54 Holmes Chapel Road to the bypass. Shame it is a single carriageway road festooned with roundabouts.
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by Truvelo »

A303Chris wrote:However, looking at the plans why does it stop on the A534 to the west of the town and not carry round to the A34. It seems its only two thirds of a bypass. I expect that traffic approaching from the A34 south will be sent along the A54 Holmes Chapel Road to the bypass.
In reality I expect most traffic will use Wallhill Lane which will become a ratrun.
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RickyB_uk
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by RickyB_uk »

A303Chris wrote: However, looking at the plans why does it stop on the A534 to the west of the town and not carry round to the A34. It seems its only two thirds of a bypass. I expect that traffic approaching from the A34 south will be sent along the A54 Holmes Chapel Road to the bypass.
I suspect what will happen in reality - given that sat-navs will point towards the quickest route, is that the minor roads Wallhill Lane & Brownlow Heath Lane will become saturated with bypass -> A34 traffic, no matter how they sign it - unless physical restrictions are put on that road.

What the bypass does do quite well is Macclesfield -> M6
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by Robert Kilcoyne »

RickyB_uk wrote: What the bypass does do quite well is Macclesfield -> M6
As traffic heading to Macclesfield from the M6 would then no longer have to go through Congleton town centre, I wonder whether Macclesfield will be signed at Junction 17 of the M6 travelling north (at present, Macclesfield is not signed at all for northbound M6 traffic, but it is signed at both Junctions 20 and 19 for southbound traffic).
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by vlad »

Truvelo wrote:
A303Chris wrote:However, looking at the plans why does it stop on the A534 to the west of the town and not carry round to the A34. It seems its only two thirds of a bypass. I expect that traffic approaching from the A34 south will be sent along the A54 Holmes Chapel Road to the bypass.
In reality I expect most traffic will use Wallhill Lane which will become a ratrun.
It's already got a weight limit - if traffic starts using it it'll get chicanes and sleeping policemen as well.

(I'm wondering if it's going to be easier for A34 traffic just to continue along its present route.)
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Dadge
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by Dadge »

Robert Kilcoyne wrote:
RickyB_uk wrote: What the bypass does do quite well is Macclesfield -> M6
As traffic heading to Macclesfield from the M6 would then no longer have to go through Congleton town centre, I wonder whether Macclesfield will be signed at Junction 17 of the M6 travelling north (at present, Macclesfield is not signed at all for northbound M6 traffic, but it is signed at both Junctions 20 and 19 for southbound traffic).
Macclesfield traffic from the M6 doesn't go through Congleton town centre - the town centre was by-passed in 1960.
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by vlad »

Dadge wrote:Macclesfield traffic from the M6 doesn't go through Congleton town centre - the town centre was by-passed in 1960.
Technically that's the case.

However, given that the bypass is under half a mile long and runs from inner suburb to inner suburb, it's not as though the bypass is particularly obvious, even if it does have a 40 limit.
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Duple
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by Duple »

There is a lot of local speculation that it actually won't connect to the A536 - although it is listed on every plan !

Everything has gone to the DFT for approval now so grass should start to be cut within the next 6 months.. at last!
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by poshbakerloo »

Duple wrote: Sat Jun 23, 2018 09:09 There is a lot of local speculation that it actually won't connect to the A536 - although it is listed on every plan !

Everything has gone to the DFT for approval now so grass should start to be cut within the next 6 months.. at last!
It would render the new road pointless for a lot of people if it didn't reach the A536 and cause rat running on Cocksmoss Lane?
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by fras »

This new link road will definitely connect to the Macclesfield road (A536), but will have no link to the A34 from the south. However, I expect it won't take long for the A34 traffic to work out their own route via Padgbury Lane and either Sandbach Road (A534), or carry on to the Holmes Chapel Road (A54) ! I suspect this is what will happen at peak periods when the old "bypass" is clogged solid. Outside the peak, I doubt there is any time saving.
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by Duple »

fras wrote: Sat Jun 23, 2018 13:09 This new link road will definitely connect to the Macclesfield road (A536), but will have no link to the A34 from the south. However, I expect it won't take long for the A34 traffic to work out their own route via Padgbury Lane and either Sandbach Road (A534), or carry on to the Holmes Chapel Road (A54) ! I suspect this is what will happen at peak periods when the old "bypass" is clogged solid. Outside the peak, I doubt there is any time saving.
I live just off Padgbury Lane, we were promised traffic calming would be put in if it became a massive issue.. this was the same people that rigged the air pollution data on this road so I will believe it when I see it !

I doubt with the number of new properties popping up everywhere currently, this new road will bring no benefit.

The comment regarding the A536 roundabout came about after a conversation at the presentation of the design, there is another plan (somewhere) without it.

I'm told the connection to the A34 is down to developers agreeing to part fund it :roll:
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wrinkly
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by wrinkly »

DfT press release

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/thou ... ton-bypass
Thousands of drivers every day will benefit from faster journeys thanks to a new bypass for Congleton.

The Department for Transport has today (20 August 2018) approved the brand new route, and will provide £45 million towards the £75 million project, which will save drivers on average 7 minutes per journey.

It will mean a 3.5-kilometre road connecting the A534 west of Congleton with the A536 to the north of the town, benefitting around 17,000 motorists alone.

The link road will also directly support more than 1,000 new homes, and will open up 9.3 hectares of business land by 2035 — as well as indirectly supporting an extra 1,475 homes and 10 hectares of employment land to the north of Congleton.
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by fras »

Note they don't call it a "bypass"; it is just a means of opening up land for development. With the huge housing developments mentioned it will be clogged solid after about 18 months just like the road through Congleton.
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by Big L »

fras wrote: Mon Aug 20, 2018 21:49 Note they don't call it a "bypass"; it is just a means of opening up land for development. With the huge housing developments mentioned it will be clogged solid after about 18 months just like the road through Congleton.
gov.uk news story wrote: Thousands to benefit from new Congleton bypass...
gov.uk news story wrote: ...build a new 3.5-kilometre bypass in Congleton.
gov.uk news story wrote: ...thanks to a new bypass for Congleton.
gov.uk news story wrote: This new bypass will not only lead to fewer accidents...
Definitely never called a bypass.
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