Improving the Environment Knutsford to Bowdon Preliminary
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Improving the environment Knutsford to Bowdon A556 Preliminary Environmental Information Non-Technical Summary Public consultation • January to April 2012 A556 – Improving the environment – Knutsford to Bowdon Non-Technical Summary Introduction Why the Preston improvement M6 M66 ROCHDALE Leeds The Highways Agency is planning improvements is needed M61 BOLTON M62 to the A556 between Junction 19 of the M6 and Junction 7 of the M56. Having considered The A556 is a major the views expressed by the public at previous strategic route, WIGAN M61 A663 M60 consultations in Spring 2007 and Autumn 2009, and the only non- M60 the Secretary of State for Transport announced an motorway section Amended Preferred Route for the scheme in March on the link between MANCHESTER M602 2010. Manchester and M6 M67 Birmingham. It M62 M60 We have designed the proposed A556 scheme carries up to 51,500 Liverpool M60 with the objective of minimising, as far as possible, vehicles per day, M62 A5103 WARRINGTON STOCKPORT its negative effects on the environment. We are also and this figure M56 M6 seeking opportunities to provide environmental is expected to M56 Junction 8 BOWDON improvements. We have carried out an Environmental increase over time. M56 Manchester Airport Impact Assessment for the scheme, which has The existing road is A556 M56 an important influence on the design. We have mainly single four- WILMSLOW published a document called the Preliminary lane carriageway, M6 Junction 19 KNUTSFORD A556 Knutsford to Bowdon M6 Scheme Environmental Information. The Preliminary and has junctions Reproduced by permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of HMSO. © Crown copyright and database right 2009. Environmental Information presents the preliminary with several side- All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number 100018928. HA Media Services Team, Manchester P100009 Birmingham MACCLESFIELD results of the Environmental Impact Assessment. roads and direct access from many We want to receive your feedback on our planned homes, businesses and field entrances. improvements and our Preliminary Environmental The existing road gives rise to the following Information. To do this we are holding a 12 week problems: public consultation. It will start on Monday 23rd Conflict between local and long-distance January 2012 and will end on Monday 16th April traffic 2012. The Preliminary Environmental Information M6 is part of the consultation material and will enable Congestion in the villages of Over Tabley, CREWE well-informed responses to consultation. You can Mere and Bucklow Hill find more information about the consultation, the Poor accident record consultation documents and where they can be found at the end of this Non-Technical Summary or Rat-running on the local side roads STOKE-ON-TRENT please refer to our scheme webpage: Air pollution and high noise levels within the www.highways.gov.uk/a556knutsfordbowdon villages The final results of the Environmental Impact Risk of water pollution in the lakes to the east Assessment will be set out in an Environmental Barriers to pedestrians, cyclists and horse Statement. The Environmental Statement will take riders account of information we are still gathering together with the results of this public consultation. This If no improvements are made, these problems will Non-Technical Summary describes the proposed worsen over time. A556 scheme, and summarises the Preliminary Environmental Information in non-technical language. 2 A556 – Improving the environment – Knutsford to Bowdon Non-Technical Summary Preston Objectives M6 M66 ROCHDALE Leeds M61 The key scheme objectives are to: BOLTON M62 Improve the local environment in Bucklow Hill and Mere WIGAN M61 A663 Improve road safety and journey time reliability M60 M60 Reduce conflicts between long distance and local traffic MANCHESTER Minimise the environmental impacts of the scheme, during M602 construction and once open to traffic M6 M67 M62 M60 Liverpool M60 Background to the improvement M62 A5103 WARRINGTON STOCKPORT M56 Different solutions to improve the route have been considered since the M6 M56 Junction 8 BOWDON 1980s. The history of the project is summarised below: M56 Manchester Airport A556 M56 WILMSLOW 1993 Public Inquiry on a proposed A556 (M) motorway. A556 Knutsford to Bowdon M6 Junction 19 KNUTSFORD 1996 Publication of Orders for the A556 (M). M6 Scheme Reproduced by permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of HMSO. © Crown copyright and database right 2009. All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number 100018928. Birmingham ‘Roads review’ - A556 (M) scheme to be included in HA Media Services Team, Manchester P100009 MACCLESFIELD 1998 regional study together with other transport issues. Regional study recommends an alternative – improve M6 2002 Junction 20, with widening of M6 Junctions 19-20. A556 Area Study compares A556 (M) and M6 Junction 2003 20 schemes. M6 A556 (M) proposals rejected by government on CREWE 2003 environmental grounds. M6 Junction 20 proposal rejected on value-for-money grounds. Start of route management strategy to consider best use 2003 STOKE-ON-TRENT of existing route. Start of options study for upgrading A556 to dual- 2005 carriageway standard. Public consultation on route options for current A556 2007 scheme. 2008 Preferred Route Announcement. Options study and further public consultation for 2009 amendments to south end of Preferred Route. Amended Preferred Route Announcement. Further 2010 development of the design of the Preferred Route. 3 A556 – Improving the environment – Knutsford to Bowdon Non-Technical Summary Bowdon Alternatives considered This map is based upon Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office A56 © Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and After rejection of the A556 (M) and M6 Junction 20 schemes, the options may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Highways Agency 100018928 2009. A56 taken to public consultation in 2007 were: Option A – A bypass of the village of Mere to the west, starting north Junction 8 of Over Tabley, and improvement of the existing road from Bucklow M56 Hill to Junction 7 of the M56 Booth M56 Bank Option B – A bypass of both Mere and Bucklow Hill, and improvement of the northern section of existing road Cherry Tree Lane Millington Lane After public consultation, Option B was announced as the Preferred Junction 7 Route in December 2008. Millington Hall Lane Rostherne Neither option would have improved the road through Over Tabley, Mere because the connection between the M6 and the improved A556 was Rostherne Lane intended to form part of a separate M6 improvement scheme. Following Chapel Lane changes in the scope of the M6 scheme, changes to the A556 scheme Rostherne were required to connect the A556 scheme to Junction 19 of the M6 motorway. An options study was carried out to consider: Bucklow Hill Cicely Mill Lane The ‘Brown’ Option – No improvement through Over Tabley Bucklow Hill Lane The ‘Blue’ Option – Improvement of the A556 through Over Tabley Hoo A50 using the existing line of the A556 Green The ‘Red’ Option – A bypass of Over Tabley to the west A556 The options study considered engineering feasibility, road safety, A5034 Tatton traffic and economic performance and environmental effects. The Red Dale Option was chosen based on all of these factors and the results of a Mere Mere Hall supplementary public consultation in 2009. An amended Preferred Route The Mere was announced in March 2010. A50 The Preliminary Environmental Information includes plans showing these previous options. You can find out how you can view this document at the Tatton Park end of this Non-Technical Summary or please refer to our scheme webpage: A556 www.highways.gov.uk/a556knutsfordbowdon Since the Amended Preferred Route Announcement in March 2010, we have been developing the scheme design. The scheme design Moss Lane Over described in this Non-Technical Summary and shown on the plans in this Tabley document is the result of this design development process. We refer to this as the ‘baseline design’. The baseline design has been used as the A50 basis for our traffic modelling and Environmental Impact Assessment. Junction 19 We have also developed some alternative design options for the locations and layouts of the junctions and bridges between the M6 and the M56 that would connect the new A556 with the local road network. Your M6 feedback from this consultation will help us decide whether we should A556 Knutsford 4 A556 – Improving the environment – Knutsford to Bowdon Non-Technical Summary Bowdon change the arrangements for the junctions and bridges as proposed in This map is based upon Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office A56 the baseline design. © Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Highways Agency 100018928 2009. A56 The Junction Options Comparative Assessment Report and Consultation Leaflet include plans showing these options. You can find out how you Junction 8 can view these documents at the end of this Non-Technical Summary or M56 please refer to our scheme webpage: Booth M56 www.highways.gov.uk/a556knutsfordbowdon Bank Summary of the proposals - Baseline design Cherry Tree Lane Millington Lane Junction 7 The main aspects of the baseline design include: Construction of a new section of the