Dear Editor,
I am writing as a deeply concerned member of the public regarding the continued and extraordinary delay to the A51 Reaseheath spine road — the new north–south bypass intended to serve the Kingsbourne development in Nantwich and connect the A51, B5074, Nantwich Bypass and Barony Road near Reaseheath College.
I was frankly aghast to learn that this road may not open until at least June 2026. If that date proves accurate, the scheme will be approaching five years late.
This is not a minor slippage — it is a prolonged failure that has left residents, commuters and road users in limbo.
While I do not live directly adjacent to the route, I regularly travel through the area and have serious concerns about how this long-delayed road will impact traffic flow, journey times and, most importantly, road safety — not just locally, but across Nantwich and its surrounding routes.
The Reaseheath bypass has long been promoted as a solution to congestion. Yet after years of delay, I fear it may simply displace existing problems rather than resolve them.
Once dubbed an “abandoned road to nowhere,” there is a growing risk that it will fail to deliver the benefits repeatedly promised.
The spine road, if and when it is completed, is intended to provide a key north–south link through Kingsbourne, passing sensitive areas such as the Reaseheath College Equestrian Centre and the River Weaver.
Pedestrian and cycle infrastructure has been promised, which is welcome in principle — but the reality on the ground raises serious questions.
In places, the road appears alarmingly narrow. This hardly inspires confidence that it can safely accommodate large vehicles, including articulated lorries.
Has sufficient assessment been undertaken to ensure it can cope with the volume and type of traffic it is likely to attract?
Equally troubling is the apparent lack of continuity in the cycleways and footpaths. At the Welshmans Lane end, the route seems to stop abruptly, with no clear onward connection to the A51 toward Chester.
This undermines the usefulness of the scheme for cyclists and pedestrians and could create confusion and safety risks.
Will this be addressed, or is this another example of infrastructure being left incomplete?
There are also genuine concerns about congestion being pushed into Kingsbourne itself.
Reaseheath Way, which links into the spine road, risks becoming an unofficial rat run through the estate — already being referred to locally as a “Kingsbourne cut-through” — offering a tempting shortcut for drivers heading toward Water Lode.
What measures are in place to prevent residential streets from bearing the brunt of diverted traffic?
More broadly, I question whether the rerouting will genuinely save drivers time.
Additional distance along the A51, combined with delays at the new Kingsbourne roundabout — shared with thousands of new households — may ultimately negate any intended traffic benefits.
Cheshire East Council has publicly attributed the delay to the absence of necessary highways agreements with developers, while developers now suggest the delays lie with the council and that opening is unlikely before June 2026.
Meanwhile, the bypass — originally due to open in 2022 — remains unopened nearly four years later.
For the public, the assignment of blame is of little comfort. What matters is that a critical piece of infrastructure has been left unfinished for far too long.
Residents and road users simply want the road opened and functioning as intended.
I sincerely hope this project ultimately delivers genuine improvements for Nantwich and the surrounding area. However, the lack of clarity, accountability and progress leaves many of us deeply uneasy.
I urge those responsible — both council and developers — to work together, resolve outstanding issues without further delay, and finally deliver a road that has been promised for years.
At present, it is difficult to comprehend why this road cannot be opened sooner. If there is a valid reason, the public deserves a clear and honest explanation.
Yours faithfully
Jonathan White
Wistaston
It’s just as well that the Planning Inspectorate put a condition on the Waterway Close development that required the builders to create a pedestrian footpath between that development and Waterlode… 0 out of 10 for the 180 degree about turn by Cheshire East Council, having originally opposed the build but then throwing in the towel and withdrawing their objections.
Many correspondents raise their concerns about the new link being used as a cut through. At the moment the majority of this traffic uses Welshmans Lane, a road singularly unsuitable for the volume of traffic now using it. The carriageway is breaking up and the verges are rutted. Another delay is simply unbearable and the residents of Welshmans Lane are quite simply sick of it. The original plans converted the lane into no through road for general traffic – bliss.
Stop the blame game and get it sorted.
Lots of very valid points in this article. There will need to be some serious traffic calming features on Reaseheath Way or there will be carnage. This will annoy people living on the estate but it will save lives, especially when the school opens.
Yes i wish they would finish it I want a short cut into Nantwich to pick up the kids at Malbank school