Congleton "Link Road"

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fras
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by fras »

OK, it's a "Bypass Link Road". Anyway whatever the name, traffic from the enormous housing and commercial developments along its length will surely soon clog it up, but I hope I'm wrong and everything will flow smoothly !
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Owain
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by Owain »

I have a friend in Congleton. The first time I went to visit him, I drove from the M6 along the A534 to his house, which is on the eastern side of the town near the A527. I was surprised at how 'long and thin' the town seems to be. It's not a big place, but it seemed to take ages to drive through it west-to-east.
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Bryn666
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by Bryn666 »

Big L wrote: Mon Aug 20, 2018 22:07
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.
It doesn't bypass the A34 so serves little to no strategic value. It does however open up the whole of North Congleton for development so this road will be swamped and the cycle of "new roads = more traffic" continues.
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AAndy
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by AAndy »

I drive through Congleton a fair bit - On the A34.....and as has been said... I will still be driving through Congleton on the A34 after this scheme!....

What seems more bizarre apart from the scheme not creating a bypass for the A34 is the short section that is not planned between the A534 and A34 South... is that it's an easy build....& half going through the edge of a quarry.


It will reduce traffic on the A34 and thus make my route slightly quicker...but I've always found Congleton a known known....I'm going to get delayed but not by much.
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vlad
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by vlad »

AAndy wrote: Tue Aug 21, 2018 09:39It will reduce traffic on the A34 and thus make my route slightly quicker...but I've always found Congleton a known known....I'm going to get delayed but not by much.
I find I'm always going to get delayed at the A34/A54 traffic lights. Given the bypass won't do anything for through traffic on either road I can't see the delay decreasing much.
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poshbakerloo
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by poshbakerloo »

AAndy wrote: Tue Aug 21, 2018 09:39 I drive through Congleton a fair bit - On the A34.....and as has been said... I will still be driving through Congleton on the A34 after this scheme!....

What seems more bizarre apart from the scheme not creating a bypass for the A34 is the short section that is not planned between the A534 and A34 South... is that it's an easy build....& half going through the edge of a quarry.


It will reduce traffic on the A34 and thus make my route slightly quicker...but I've always found Congleton a known known....I'm going to get delayed but not by much.
The reason why they don't have it running south to the A34 south of Congleton is because most of the traffic heads towards the M6! I read somewhere that this bypass is part of a long term plan to make a new long distance route from the M60 Jct. 25 (via the second phase of the A555) to the M6 Jct. 17 via the A523, A536 and A534. There is also the 'South Macclesfield Link Road' that will join the A523 to the A536 south of the town.
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vlad
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by vlad »

poshbakerloo wrote: Thu Aug 23, 2018 17:05
AAndy wrote: Tue Aug 21, 2018 09:39 I drive through Congleton a fair bit - On the A34.....and as has been said... I will still be driving through Congleton on the A34 after this scheme!....

What seems more bizarre apart from the scheme not creating a bypass for the A34 is the short section that is not planned between the A534 and A34 South... is that it's an easy build....& half going through the edge of a quarry.


It will reduce traffic on the A34 and thus make my route slightly quicker...but I've always found Congleton a known known....I'm going to get delayed but not by much.
The reason why they don't have it running south to the A34 south of Congleton is because most of the traffic heads towards the M6! I read somewhere that this bypass is part of a long term plan to make a new long distance route from the M60 Jct. 25 (via the second phase of the A555) to the M6 Jct. 17 via the A523, A536 and A534. There is also the 'South Macclesfield Link Road' that will join the A523 to the A536 south of the town.
If that's the case they're going to need a proper Macclesfield bypass - the present A523 isn't the easiest road to drive along.
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poshbakerloo
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by poshbakerloo »

vlad wrote: Thu Aug 23, 2018 19:07
poshbakerloo wrote: Thu Aug 23, 2018 17:05
AAndy wrote: Tue Aug 21, 2018 09:39 I drive through Congleton a fair bit - On the A34.....and as has been said... I will still be driving through Congleton on the A34 after this scheme!....

What seems more bizarre apart from the scheme not creating a bypass for the A34 is the short section that is not planned between the A534 and A34 South... is that it's an easy build....& half going through the edge of a quarry.


It will reduce traffic on the A34 and thus make my route slightly quicker...but I've always found Congleton a known known....I'm going to get delayed but not by much.
The reason why they don't have it running south to the A34 south of Congleton is because most of the traffic heads towards the M6! I read somewhere that this bypass is part of a long term plan to make a new long distance route from the M60 Jct. 25 (via the second phase of the A555) to the M6 Jct. 17 via the A523, A536 and A534. There is also the 'South Macclesfield Link Road' that will join the A523 to the A536 south of the town.
If that's the case they're going to need a proper Macclesfield bypass - the present A523 isn't the easiest road to drive along.
Agreed. Although I have not even seen the slightest hint of a plan! I think the S2 segment of the A523 past the train station should be continued right up to the train tracks as a 'thru pass' - either than or a massive D2 tunnel under the hills to the east of the town... DREAMS! London road is awful, I think there might have been old plans for an 'online' upgrade but that would need all the buildings down one side to be demolished!
RickyB_uk
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by RickyB_uk »

The scheme timetable has been updated:
* Ground investigation works already under way
* Utility diversion + ecolological management gets underway in January 2019
* Main earthworks commence in March 2019
* Back Lane East in Somerford complete by June 2019
* Full scheme open to traffic: late-2020

"Back Lane East" is I think a new link from the existing Back Lane at the edge of Congleton's urban area towards Third Avenue in the Radnor Park Trading Estate as well as a realignment of the existing route north of there where there will be a roundabout with the new Link Road.

The timeframe looks similar to the Alderley bypass, which got underway at the start of 2009 and opened in November 2010 (although the original timeframe for that was a Summer 2011 opening).
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poshbakerloo
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by poshbakerloo »

RickyB_uk wrote: Tue Nov 20, 2018 16:30 The scheme timetable has been updated:
* Ground investigation works already under way
* Utility diversion + ecolological management gets underway in January 2019
* Main earthworks commence in March 2019
* Back Lane East in Somerford complete by June 2019
* Full scheme open to traffic: late-2020

"Back Lane East" is I think a new link from the existing Back Lane at the edge of Congleton's urban area towards Third Avenue in the Radnor Park Trading Estate as well as a realignment of the existing route north of there where there will be a roundabout with the new Link Road.

The timeframe looks similar to the Alderley bypass, which got underway at the start of 2009 and opened in November 2010 (although the original timeframe for that was a Summer 2011 opening).
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poshbakerloo
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by poshbakerloo »

I'm surprised that they are sticking with roundabouts - I actually like them (mostly), but I thought traffic lights were seen as the new in thing:
https://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/pdf/hig ... d-plan.pdf
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Euan
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by Euan »

RickyB_uk wrote: Tue Nov 20, 2018 16:30 The scheme timetable has been updated:
* Ground investigation works already under way
* Utility diversion + ecolological management gets underway in January 2019
* Main earthworks commence in March 2019
* Back Lane East in Somerford complete by June 2019
* Full scheme open to traffic: late-2020

"Back Lane East" is I think a new link from the existing Back Lane at the edge of Congleton's urban area towards Third Avenue in the Radnor Park Trading Estate as well as a realignment of the existing route north of there where there will be a roundabout with the new Link Road.

The timeframe looks similar to the Alderley bypass, which got underway at the start of 2009 and opened in November 2010 (although the original timeframe for that was a Summer 2011 opening).
Maybe the completion date estimate was based on what had been learned during the construction of the Alderley bypass - perhaps the date for the Congleton bypass would have been summer 2021 otherwise!
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fras
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by fras »

Middlewich Bypass is also getting closer to construction. This was proposed on the old Cheshire CC website when we first moved to Crewe in 1995 !! So only 25 years late, then.
RickyB_uk
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by RickyB_uk »

fras wrote: Thu Nov 22, 2018 13:00 Middlewich Bypass is also getting closer to construction. This was proposed on the old Cheshire CC website when we first moved to Crewe in 1995 !! So only 25 years late, then.
Poynton too. Middlewich & Poynton bypasses currently scheduled to be completed by the end of 2021 - so about a year behind Congleton (subject to final planning/inquiry approval processes). Poynton is means to be at public inquiry this week - the inquiry covers the CPOs + side road orders.
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by RickyB_uk »

According to the Council's roadworks site, Back Lane (north-west of Congleton) was meant to be closed from today for roundabout construction and so that its course can be diverted further south to clear the route for the main Link Road construction. Back Lane is due to re-open completed in June.

Does anyone very local know if this has happened or not? If so, I think it's the first "spades in the ground" of the bypass construction.
Duple
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by Duple »

RickyB_uk wrote:According to the Council's roadworks site, Back Lane (north-west of Congleton) was meant to be closed from today for roundabout construction and so that its course can be diverted further south to clear the route for the main Link Road construction. Back Lane is due to re-open completed in June.

Does anyone very local know if this has happened or not? If so, I think it's the first "spades in the ground" of the bypass construction.
Yes, now closed until June.

First sod cut 28th Feb, seemingly rapid progress on all parts of the road.

Most of the proposed route runs along my commute and lots of trees gone, fences up and ground being dug.

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Ross Spur
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by Ross Spur »

Target opening date is now January 2021 in this September article: https://www.bdcmagazine.com/2020/09/inf ... -progress/

Plenty of aerial photos of construction.
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poshbakerloo
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by poshbakerloo »

Ross Spur wrote: Sun Nov 08, 2020 20:27 Target opening date is now January 2021 in this September article: https://www.bdcmagazine.com/2020/09/inf ... -progress/

Plenty of aerial photos of construction.
Wow, seems quick, how long has it been under construction for?
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by mikehindsonevans »

poshbakerloo wrote: Mon Nov 09, 2020 19:45
Ross Spur wrote: Sun Nov 08, 2020 20:27 Target opening date is now January 2021 in this September article: https://www.bdcmagazine.com/2020/09/inf ... -progress/

Plenty of aerial photos of construction.
Wow, seems quick, how long has it been under construction for?
A far shorter time than your average smartification shambles.
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Re: Congleton "Link Road"

Post by Alderpoint »

poshbakerloo wrote: Mon Nov 09, 2020 19:45 Wow, seems quick, how long has it been under construction for?
RickyB_uk wrote: Tue Nov 20, 2018 16:30 The scheme timetable has been updated:
* Ground investigation works already under way
* Utility diversion + ecolological management gets underway in January 2019
* Main earthworks commence in March 2019
* Back Lane East in Somerford complete by June 2019
* Full scheme open to traffic: late-2020
The currrent estimate of January 2021 is only slightly later than "late-2020".
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