Crewe Green update - Paul Colman, Chris Hindle, Alex Thompson and Cllr Paul Bates

South Cheshire businesses have been told the major Crewe Green roundabout scheme will boost the local economy for years to come.

Members of the South Cheshire Chamber of Commerce have been updated on the £7.5 million scheme which will change the face of travel in the area.

The scheme aims to remodel Crewe Green roundabout and end frustrating delays faced by motorists and commercial vehicles travelling between Crewe, Haslington, Middlewich, Sandbach and the M6 motorway.

A new-look oval-shaped roundabout, widened to increase traffic flow, will include a dual use footway and cycleway.

Gone will be the complex system of traffic lights and road markings that have made it difficult to negotiate for decades.

The works are on target to end in November and will be followed by a £10.5 million overhaul of Sydney Road bridge, crossing the Crewe to Manchester line.

The current bridge will be demolished and replaced with a new structure including a pedestrian footpath as well as vehicle and cycle lanes.

Speaking at the Chamber’s Economic and Local Update event, Cheshire East’s Head of Strategic Infrastructure Chris Hindle said: “Ending bottlenecks is good news for motorists and business, the local economy and environment.

“We know this causes disruption but after many years of suffering frustrating traffic delays, the message from local people and businesses when consulted was just get it done.”

The roadworks, members were told, also formed part of a bigger plan to ready Crewe for HS2 in nine years and make journeys in and out of town less of a headache for shoppers at a time when the council is pressing on with its face-lift plans, which include redevelopment of the Royal Arcade.

Others in the pipeline include improvements around North West Crewe, dualling the A500 bottleneck and a new £60 million Middlewich Eastern bypass improving links between mid-Cheshire and the M6. Planning applications will be submitted this summer.

Cheshire East has been successful in gaining large slices of Government funding for the schemes.

South Cheshire Chamber Chief Executive Paul Colman said: “HS2 will bring great things to the area in years to come but when meeting local businesses, the feed-back is concern and frustration over the current road system and parking.

“The Chamber welcomes the highways improvements which will address many of the issues raised but will be pressing to ensure parking is a priority in these and future plans.”

Cllr Paul Bates, Portfolio Holder for Finance and Communications, presented highlights of the council budget which has set aside an extra £2m for highways improvements.

Mr Colman updated members on the latest British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) economic survey which shows countrywide domestic sales up by 17% and export sales up by 30% in the first quarter of 2018.

For information on joining the Chamber call 01270 504700 or to learn more about the benefits of membership visit www.sccci.co.uk

(Pic: Chamber Chief Executive Paul Colman with Cheshire East’s Head of Strategic Infrastructure Chris Hindle, Head of Finance and Performance Alex Thompson and Portfolio Holder for Finance and Communications, Cllr Paul Bates)

Crewe Green roundabout
Crewe Green roundabout – how it will look

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