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fras
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Middlewich Bypass only 30 years late !

Post by fras »

Announcement on Thursday on the Cheshire East website: -
https://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/council ... rward.aspx
When we moved here 26 years ago, the original scheme was on the Cheshire CC website ! Part of it was actually built, see here, (Pochin Way) : -
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Mid ... 3833?hl=en

It ends in a stub with a fence, and was left ready for work to recommence when finances again became available, but died with the formation of Cheshire East.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.18683 ... 6656?hl=en

The road to the left goes to the usual large sheds, one of which was, if I remember correctly, where ERF trucks ended up after their takeover by Paccar, who sold the company on to MAN. It all closed in 2007.

CEC then decided the bypass needed to be re-routed, so the new road will diverge from Pochin Way almost at the top near Optima Logistics. This is to make more land available for commercial buildings.

https://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/highway ... ypass.aspx

I have to say I'll only believe it when I see men and machines at work on it !
The whole area around this road is very dismal and depressing !
Runwell
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Re: Local Road Projects

Post by Runwell »

Traffic signals have been installed on the A12 J26 roundabout at the A1124 at Eight Ash Green. They seem to have polarised opinion. However, there could be long queues in the evening trying to get on to the roundabout. Looks like an expansion to the nearby Tollgate retail park is behind the changes.

Speaking of traffic lights, the A13 at North Stifford (A1012) has seen the exit slip roads widened both ways, with the roundabout due to have traffic lights installed in the near future. The signs are already up for the lights, just greyed out for the time being. Not sure when these are meant to be installed, but presumably later this year?


Meanwhile, work on the A120 at Bishop's Stortford is now underway. https://www.essexhighways.org/highway-s ... ent-scheme
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KeithW
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Re: Middlewich Bypass only 30 years late !

Post by KeithW »

fras wrote: Sat Dec 11, 2021 10:13 Announcement on Thursday on the Cheshire East website: -
https://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/council ... rward.aspx
When we moved here 26 years ago, the original scheme was on the Cheshire CC website ! Part of it was actually built, see here, (Pochin Way) : -
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Mid ... 3833?hl=en

It ends in a stub with a fence, and was left ready for work to recommence when finances again became available, but died with the formation of Cheshire East.
We have one of those too, this one east of Darlington was supposed to be a link from the A66 to the A67 and Teesside Airport following the line of the old railway line. The project name was the Darlington Eastern Transport Corridor but the final section to the A67 was never built.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.53106 ... 8192?hl=en

In fact the B6279 is clearly built for much more traffic then ever materialised, that however is changing. A huge Amazon depot was now been built at its junction with the A66. With Teesside Airport now increasing its air freight capacity the link finally looks likely to be built.

Planning permission was actually approved in 2015 but the airport owners at the time did not go ahead with the plan, indeed it was clear that their plans was to close the airfield and build housing. The TVCA intervened and purchased the airport and has announced plans to complete the link road.
jabbaboy
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Re: Middlewich Bypass only 30 years late !

Post by jabbaboy »

KeithW wrote: Sat Jan 22, 2022 13:13
fras wrote: Sat Dec 11, 2021 10:13 Announcement on Thursday on the Cheshire East website: -
https://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/council ... rward.aspx
When we moved here 26 years ago, the original scheme was on the Cheshire CC website ! Part of it was actually built, see here, (Pochin Way) : -
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Mid ... 3833?hl=en

It ends in a stub with a fence, and was left ready for work to recommence when finances again became available, but died with the formation of Cheshire East.
We have one of those too, this one east of Darlington was supposed to be a link from the A66 to the A67 and Teesside Airport following the line of the old railway line. The project name was the Darlington Eastern Transport Corridor but the final section to the A67 was never built.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.53106 ... 8192?hl=en

In fact the B6279 is clearly built for much more traffic then ever materialised, that however is changing. A huge Amazon depot was now been built at its junction with the A66. With Teesside Airport now increasing its air freight capacity the link finally looks likely to be built.

Planning permission was actually approved in 2015 but the airport owners at the time did not go ahead with the plan, indeed it was clear that their plans was to close the airfield and build housing. The TVCA intervened and purchased the airport and has announced plans to complete the link road.

Must admit I did always wonder where that was meant to go but it does seem a bit of a waste of money? The A67 between Morton Park and Eaglescliffe and the link road to the A66 are already high quality roads to link to the airport. Not sure why it needs another especially when they're dead at all hours currently. The money would be much better spent on the A66 between Morton Park / A1150 imo (ignoring it's National Highways) which regularly grind to a halt (not so much since Covid).
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KeithW
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Re: Middlewich Bypass only 30 years late !

Post by KeithW »

jabbaboy wrote: Mon Jan 24, 2022 17:22 Must admit I did always wonder where that was meant to go but it does seem a bit of a waste of money? The A67 between Morton Park and Eaglescliffe and the link road to the A66 are already high quality roads to link to the airport. Not sure why it needs another especially when they're dead at all hours currently. The money would be much better spent on the A66 between Morton Park / A1150 imo (ignoring it's National Highways) which regularly grind to a halt (not so much since Covid).
It would have been a waste of money before the distribution warehouses were built along the A66 Darlington southern bypass but with them and the new Air Freight terminal being built at the airport Southside Business Park that is changing. It is not dead at all hours, the A66 at that point is S2 and had an AADF of over 20k before the Amazon depot opened. If anything we need to be looking at dualling it especially with the A66 being dualled between Scotch Corner and Penrith.

https://tritaxsymmetry.com/projects/sym ... arlington/#
https://www.novaloca.com/commercial-lan ... ton/164342
jabbaboy
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Re: Middlewich Bypass only 30 years late !

Post by jabbaboy »

KeithW wrote: Mon Jan 24, 2022 18:18
jabbaboy wrote: Mon Jan 24, 2022 17:22 Must admit I did always wonder where that was meant to go but it does seem a bit of a waste of money? The A67 between Morton Park and Eaglescliffe and the link road to the A66 are already high quality roads to link to the airport. Not sure why it needs another especially when they're dead at all hours currently. The money would be much better spent on the A66 between Morton Park / A1150 imo (ignoring it's National Highways) which regularly grind to a halt (not so much since Covid).
It would have been a waste of money before the distribution warehouses were built along the A66 Darlington southern bypass but with them and the new Air Freight terminal being built at the airport Southside Business Park that is changing. It is not dead at all hours, the A66 at that point is S2 and had an AADF of over 20k before the Amazon depot opened. If anything we need to be looking at dualling it especially with the A66 being dualled between Scotch Corner and Penrith.

https://tritaxsymmetry.com/projects/sym ... arlington/#
https://www.novaloca.com/commercial-lan ... ton/164342
I think you got mixed up there, I was talking about the A67 / the A66 to A67 link road (Mill Lane) which I believe is unnumbered there being dead rather than the A66. Totally agreed with the A66 sentiments though, awful road at the best of times and that's ignoring the fact there's no way of getting to the West of Darlington without plowing through the centre or the North without cutting through the top end (aware there's a bypass planned there though - if it ever happens).
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KeithW
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Re: Middlewich Bypass only 30 years late !

Post by KeithW »

jabbaboy wrote: Mon Jan 24, 2022 19:08
KeithW wrote: Mon Jan 24, 2022 18:18
jabbaboy wrote: Mon Jan 24, 2022 17:22 Must admit I did always wonder where that was meant to go but it does seem a bit of a waste of money? The A67 between Morton Park and Eaglescliffe and the link road to the A66 are already high quality roads to link to the airport. Not sure why it needs another especially when they're dead at all hours currently. The money would be much better spent on the A66 between Morton Park / A1150 imo (ignoring it's National Highways) which regularly grind to a halt (not so much since Covid).
It would have been a waste of money before the distribution warehouses were built along the A66 Darlington southern bypass but with them and the new Air Freight terminal being built at the airport Southside Business Park that is changing. It is not dead at all hours, the A66 at that point is S2 and had an AADF of over 20k before the Amazon depot opened. If anything we need to be looking at dualling it especially with the A66 being dualled between Scotch Corner and Penrith.

https://tritaxsymmetry.com/projects/sym ... arlington/#
https://www.novaloca.com/commercial-lan ... ton/164342
I think you got mixed up there, I was talking about the A67 / the A66 to A67 link road (Mill Lane) which I believe is unnumbered there being dead rather than the A66. Totally agreed with the A66 sentiments though, awful road at the best of times and that's ignoring the fact there's no way of getting to the West of Darlington without plowing through the centre or the North without cutting through the top end (aware there's a bypass planned there though - if it ever happens).
I dont believe the route of the A66 has ever gone down Mill Lane. The only Mill Lane in Darlington that I know of is here.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.53802 ... 6656?hl=en

Until the A1(M) Darlington Bypass was opened the A66 ended at Scotch Corner and the A1 ran through Darlington along what is now the A167 before heading to Aycliffe.

The current A66/A66(M) route is shared with the A1 to J57 then takes the A66(M) to the BlackWell roundabout before taking the A66 southern bypass to Burdon east of Darlington before heading to Teesside.

Before the southern bypass was built you followed the A67 from the end of the A66(M) through Darlington , to pick up the road (A66 or A67 depending on date) through Stockton and Thornaby to Middlesbrough. The A66 Southern bypass was built many years later.

There has been a widespread renaming in the area, the route from Darlington to Stockton and Middlesbrough was the A67 and what is now the A67 past Teesside Airport was the B1273

Let we quote the wiki
https://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/wiki/index.php?title=A67 wrote: The A67 then enters Darlington. Its original route, then a trunk road, ran through the centre of Darlington, continuing east to Haughton-le-Skerne, Great Burdon and Elton to its original terminus in Stockton on the A19 Yarm Road. Round about 1960, the A67 was extended as a non-trunk road into Middlesbrough, where it ran up Newport Road and terminated on the A172 on Corporation Road by the town hall. This section was originally the A176 (observation of the later re-use of this number in Essex was the initial trigger for the whole "Roads by Ten" project.)

Later in the 1960s, the Darlington to Middlesbrough section of the A67 was usurped by the present A66. Subsequent improvements have taken the A66 away from the original A67 route, notably in Darlington itself, where the original route to the east the town is now partly the B6279 (anomalously numbered as it is entirely to the east of the A1).

The present A67 turns south in the western suburbs of Darlington to meet the A66 which we last saw at Bowes. (Most people travelling from Bowes to Darlington would prefer the A66, although it is about five miles further, as it is largely dual carriageway and doesn't go through any town of a size comparable with Barnard Castle). The A66 and A67 multiplex around Darlington – the A66 giving this multiplex primary status. The B6280 follows the pre-bypass route through the town centre. The next section of the A67, to Egglescliffe, was originally the B1273, but was upgraded to A-status at the same time as the A67 became the A66, probably because it serves Teesside Airport. At Egglescliffe the A67 terminated on the A19, until that road was diverted further east, the original route being renumbered north of Egglescliffe as the A135 (way out of place – perhaps it should swap numbers with the A176 in Essex). South of Egglescliffe the former A19 is now an extension of the A67 which cr

From the SABRE Wiki: A67 :

The A67 is only primary for a short section at its beginning, and is very much overshadowed by its big brother, the A66. Nowadays it appears to be of too slight significance to justify the two-digit number. However, until the 1960s, the A67 was the principal east-west route through southern County Durham - and the A66 is to blame for the fact that this has changed.


Bowes marks the fork of the main east-west Roman Road now followed by the A66, the southern (right) fork

... Read More
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danfw194
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Re: Local Road Projects

Post by danfw194 »

Does anyone know if the Reaseheath Bypass (A51 at Nantwich) is open yet? Was supposed to open Feb 2022, but I can't see anything on google search to confirm one way or another.
fras
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Re: Local Road Projects

Post by fras »

danfw194 wrote: Tue Mar 22, 2022 14:03 Does anyone know if the Reaseheath Bypass (A51 at Nantwich) is open yet? Was supposed to open Feb 2022, but I can't see anything on google search to confirm one way or another.
Nope, still not connected to the roundabout on the existing road. I was passing there only a few days ago.
brummie_rob
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Re: Local Road Projects

Post by brummie_rob »

The road has been in the same state for a few months now and with zero effort to start connecting it to the roundabout I think the wait will go on.
fras
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Re: Local Road Projects

Post by fras »

brummie_rob wrote: Wed Mar 23, 2022 00:22 The road has been in the same state for a few months now and with zero effort to start connecting it to the roundabout I think the wait will go on.
Came past again today and the other end is equally unfinished. Maybe Cheshire East are waiting for the new financial year to start.
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danfw194
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Re: Local Road Projects

Post by danfw194 »

Thanks for the answers. I'm heading this way Easter Friday, doesn't sound like it will be finished by then unless they kick into gear.
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wrinkly
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Re: Local Road Projects

Post by wrinkly »

Another video (again not mine) of work on the Heywood link road NW from M62 J19.

https://youtu.be/mimmmTxKDnc

Thanks to Tony_H1 on Skyscrapercity.
brummie_rob
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Re: Local Road Projects

Post by brummie_rob »

danfw194 wrote: Thu Mar 24, 2022 10:22 Thanks for the answers. I'm heading this way Easter Friday, doesn't sound like it will be finished by then unless they kick into gear.
Now delayed until Summer to install a pedestrian crossing (despite there being an underpass for horses/cycles/people):

https://thenantwichnews.co.uk/2022/03/3 ... th-bypass/
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Re: Local Road Projects

Post by haymansafc »

brummie_rob wrote: Wed Mar 30, 2022 17:56 Now delayed until Summer to install a pedestrian crossing (despite there being an underpass for horses/cycles/people):

https://thenantwichnews.co.uk/2022/03/3 ... th-bypass/
Indeed it has. Bearing in mind there's an underpass there, I find this decision to delay the opening a bit odd. I thought that would have been an ideal crossing/solution as it wouldn't hold up anyone.

I haven't had chance to be that way in months, but it's good to see progress at the existing roundabout. I think the last time I was there, it was little more than land clearance at the existing roundabout end.
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brummie_rob
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Re: Local Road Projects

Post by brummie_rob »

haymansafc wrote: Fri Apr 01, 2022 19:18
brummie_rob wrote: Wed Mar 30, 2022 17:56 Now delayed until Summer to install a pedestrian crossing (despite there being an underpass for horses/cycles/people):

https://thenantwichnews.co.uk/2022/03/3 ... th-bypass/
Indeed it has. Bearing in mind there's an underpass there, I find this decision to delay the opening a bit odd. I thought that would have been an ideal crossing/solution as it wouldn't hold up anyone.

I haven't had chance to be that way in months, but it's good to see progress at the existing roundabout. I think the last time I was there, it was little more than land clearance at the existing roundabout end.
Good to hear, I've not walked that way for two weeks and hadn't seen if they'd bothered to start the connections. I think the issue with the underpass is that it connects a public footpath which crossed this area before and therefore isn't paved and I don't think it forms in the developers plans to do so (despite having paved some of it crossing the rest of the estate).
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Ben302
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Re: Local Road Projects

Post by Ben302 »

Medway Council as part of its local regeneration programme have started work on improvements to the A289 to increase capacity at certain places on the route. The first stages were completed via contributions from Asda and involved upgrading Gillingham Gate to provide a new entrance to Asda and a new, wider entrance to the Docks plus adding a 3rd lane through the junction. along with upgrading the Strand Roundabout to add an extra lane on the appraches and make it bigger. This was completed a few years ago and now the focus has switched to the Medway City estate, sans Pareil and four Elms roundabouts. The first phase is due to be completed next week and involves adding a freeflow slip around the outside of the roundabout so that traffic heading from Anthony's Way on the MCE and are heading west towards the Sans Pareil and the M2 can by-pass the roundabout and filter into the road up the hill. However it will be bisected by an existing toucan crossing. Also the works are massively overrunning having been started in September last year. the traffic management has also been a cause of frustration as the Medway Tunnel has been reduced to 1 lane westbound since last year and has a 30mph limit and the queues are often back to Gillingham Gate at peak times. Phase two which is due to start next year will see the road from the MCE widened to 3 lanes up the hill to a relocated Sans Pareil roundabout with free-flow left turns provided on all arms and the Wainscott by-pass widened to 3 lanes up to the Four Elms roundabout, which will be made bigger and include left turn freeflows for the A228 and A289 movements.
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Re: Local Road Projects

Post by droopsnoot »

brummie_rob wrote: Fri Apr 01, 2022 23:42
haymansafc wrote: Fri Apr 01, 2022 19:18
brummie_rob wrote: Wed Mar 30, 2022 17:56 Now delayed until Summer to install a pedestrian crossing (despite there being an underpass for horses/cycles/people):

https://thenantwichnews.co.uk/2022/03/3 ... th-bypass/
Indeed it has. Bearing in mind there's an underpass there, I find this decision to delay the opening a bit odd. I thought that would have been an ideal crossing/solution as it wouldn't hold up anyone.

I haven't had chance to be that way in months, but it's good to see progress at the existing roundabout. I think the last time I was there, it was little more than land clearance at the existing roundabout end.
Good to hear, I've not walked that way for two weeks and hadn't seen if they'd bothered to start the connections. I think the issue with the underpass is that it connects a public footpath which crossed this area before and therefore isn't paved and I don't think it forms in the developers plans to do so (despite having paved some of it crossing the rest of the estate).
I'm not sure when "mid summer" is, but there doesn't seem to be any evidence of any work being done on this, from what I can see when passing either end of the work. Neither end has changed, and there's a big pile of something blocking the end nearest the roundabout. Of course I can't tell whether there is work on the crossing going on out of view. I did wonder how it could possibly take so long to install a crossing on a road that isn't open yet - and therefore has no traffic congestion issues - but asked on another forum and the response seemed reasonable.
fras
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Re: Local Road Projects

Post by fras »

I think the developers have obviously thought, "sod it, we'll just stop all work until the dozy council make their minds up"
Not just no work in progress, but nothing on site to indicate work might start in the near future. A typical council Pot Mess.
POTMESS Common slang word meaning a Muddle or Confusion; in the Navy it is generally qualified by the epithet "proper". The word probably comes from the kitchen: the biblical expression "mess of pottage" is akin.
brummie_rob
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Re: Local Road Projects

Post by brummie_rob »

Yes the site is now guarded by a security firm with all evidence of work having come to a stop. I can't see this being resolved until next year now. The fact there is a reasonable underpass makes this even worse.
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