Funding confirmed for airport relief road
THE final piece of funding has been approved for the £290m Manchester Airport Relief Road.
A £105m grant from the Government has been agreed as part of the “earn back” initiative in the City Deal which will allow the city to claim back tax revenues linked to economic growth.
The balance has already been committed – £165m from the Department for Transport and £20m of Local Transport Plan (LTP) funding.
The six-mile stretch of dual carriageway between the A6 at Hazel Grove and the M56, incorporating the existing section of the A555, will bypass congested areas such as Bramhall, Cheadle Hulme, Gatley and Heald Green and should provide greater capacity on alternatives routes, including the M60. A new pedestrian and cycle route would also be created along its entire length.
Cllr Sue Derbyshire, leader of Stockport Council, said: “This is good news for Stockport, the confirmation of the ‘Earn Back’ agreement between the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the Government means that we now have the full £290m we require to build the A6 to Manchester Airport Relief Road.”
Subject to planning approval, construction of the road is expected to take place between 2014 and 2017.
