Plans for Trans-Pennine route accelerates

February will see the launch of a statutory consultation, examining the investment plans for an improved Trans-Pennine route.

The £242M investment on the Manchester to Sheffield Trans-Pennine route will see new dual and single carriageways, safety improvements either side of the Woodhead Pass and a major overhaul of Westwood roundabout.

The centrepiece of the scheme will see new carriageways for the A57 on the Greater Manchester side, between the M67 and Woolley Bridge, for which Highways England will need to secure a development consent order (DCO) to enable it to build the new stretches of road at Mottram.

Highways England unveiled the timetable for the statutory consultation on Monday 29 January. It will run between Monday 12 February 2018 and Sunday 25 March 2018 with a programme of public consultation events and a variety of other ways for people to get involved – including by email, post and online.

Highways England’s Trans-Pennine Upgrade project manager Monica Corso Griffiths said: “Having announced our preferred options for this important investment last November this is now the opportunity for everyone concerned to help us shape the detail of the individual schemes before we submit firm and final proposals to the planning authorities.

“We’d urge anyone with an interest in the improvements to let us know their views. This is an important investment in one of the most important east to west routes in the country. The improvements form part of the current £15Bn government investment in motorways and major A roads and are a vital element of Highways England’s support for the Northern Powerhouse – unlocking the potential for new homes and jobs by tackling congestion.”

The proposals included in the public consultation are:

• Mottram Moor link road – a new dual carriageway from the M67 junction 4 roundabout to a new junction on the A57 at Mottram Moor and a new single carriageway connecting to the A6018 Roe Cross Road
• a new single carriageway link from the A57 at Mottram Moor to a new junction on the A57 at Woolley Bridge
• safety and technology improvements – including safety measures focused on addressing accident hotspots and the provision of electronic message signs
• A616/A61 Westwood roundabout – improvements to reduce congestion and improve the flow of traffic through the roundabout in Tankersley, Sheffield

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