The new A51 spine road around Reaseheath in Nantwich is unlikely to be open until mid-summer, it emerged today.
Delays to the opening, initially scheduled for February 2022, have been caused by concerns over lack of a crossing and suitable connected pathways between the town and Reaseheath College.
Residents on The Green in Reaseheath had flagged the “lack of clarity” over pedestrian access across the new road towards town almost a year ago.
Originally, there was no crossing planned and the only way to get across the busy new ‘bypass’ was to use the lit underpass for pedestrians, cyclists and horses.
However, residents then raised concerns that plans did not appear to show how a new foot/cyclepath will be connected to the new underpass.
Reaseheath College and Cllr Sarah Pochin requested a pedestrian crossing. Until this is installed, the new road will not be opened.
Cllr Pochin, who represents the Bunbury ward in which Reaseheath sits, said: “The delay has to do with the crossing that the residents wanted.
“I have lobbied for this and which has now been agreed. The crossing was a late concession.”
Cllr Craig Browne, Cheshire East Council deputy leader and chair of highways and transport committee, said: “Cheshire East Council is fully engaged in ongoing discussions with the developers to arrive at the most suitable network and environmental solutions around Reaseheath College so that our residents, highways and public rights of way users can all benefit from this scheme.
“There are a number of factors that are being addressed, including provision of public rights of way connectivity and the provision of a pedestrian crossing, plus alterations to the A51, once the spine road is opened.
“The developer’s agent is preparing fresh plans for our consideration, and we now anticipate completion of these works towards mid-summer.
“We are confident this will be another borough road scheme that will deliver significant benefits to the locality.”
(Aerial images by Jonathan White taken over recent months)
You could not make it up, don’t they have any plans to work with, showing things like drainage, street lighting, pavements, road signs, anything else we my have forgotten?
Oh yes a pedestrian crossing, classic, just as well breathing comes naturally.
All together now IN, OUT, what comes next ?Oh IN again, nearly went blue then, thank God I remembered
they had one job to do and all they consider is a road for cars and nobody else, epic fail!!