A57 Bypass Construction to Commence in Coming Weeks

Construction on a new bypass, part of the thoroughfare connecting Greater Manchester and Sheffield, is slated to commence “in the coming weeks,” according to official government budget documents. Initial groundwork for the A57 Link Roads project, which aims to alleviate traffic congestion in villages within the Peak District National Park, began on Mottram Moor earlier this month. The precise commencement date for the “main construction” of these link roads remains unannounced, though “scheme preparation works” are scheduled to persist until the close of the year. National Highways declared that overnight operations would begin on 4 November, running from 19:30 to 06:00 GMT. Consequently, a single lane will be closed overnight for approximately four weeks, extending from the layby near Mottram in Longendale to just before the BP Garage on Hyde Road. “Archaeological mitigation” is set to start from mid-November, during which temporary cabins will be relocated to the area in readiness for the start of building activities, the agency confirmed. The financial outlay for the scheme was not detailed in the budget documents, which instead indicated that “major transport projects” would draw funding from the Department for Transport’s £30bn budget. Upon completion, the A57 Link Roads project will establish two new link roads. One component is the Mottram Moor Link Road – a new dual carriageway extending from the M67 junction 4 roundabout to a new junction on the A57(T) at Mottram Moor. The second component is the A57 Link Road – a new single carriageway link from the A57(T) at Mottram Moor to a new junction on the A57 in Woolley Bridge. The Department for Transport anticipates the work will require three years to finalize. The project has generated mixed reactions in the locality, with the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) contending that the new road could “harm public enjoyment” of the landscape. Conversely, Luke Williams, transport manager at the haulage firm Newell and Wright, expressed his delight at the news that construction would begin this month. During her address, Chancellor Rachel Reeves also unveiled new rail investments for Greater Manchester. Electrified trains are scheduled to operate from Manchester Victoria to Stalybridge this year, with services between Wigan and Bolton planned for the future.