The below has just been released by Highways England. Our comments and responses will follow. In the meantime, it means more time to campaign, fight and continue to oppose this road and truly investigate the alternatives. Alternatives that work for everyone.
"As you will be aware, the government’s five-year Road Investment Strategy (RIS1), which launched in 2015, set out ambitious targets for improving the road network and supporting the local economy.
Since 2015, we have invested over £1.5bn in the north west’s road projects and completed three new major schemes. Tens of thousands of drivers are now benefitting from quicker and more reliable journeys between Crewe and Rochdale every day, thanks to around 50 miles of extra lanes and new technology to tackle congestion on the M6, M60 and M62. Our new A556 link road between the M56 and M6 is also providing faster journeys on the key route between Manchester and the Midlands, and has taken traffic away from local communities in Cheshire.
This work will continue in the future, enabling motorists across the region to drive on better, safer roads, and to achieve more reliable journey times.
Our aim is that no one should be harmed when travelling or working on the strategic road network. While we can’t eliminate all risk on our road network or in the things that we do, we can recognise it, assess it correctly, and ensure that people are as far as possible protected from it.
We are focused on finding and implementing the best innovation and new technology which can help save lives and enable more efficient ways of using roads. That includes more use of digital technologies to manage the capacity and availability of the network and enhance communication with vehicles and their users. We have already started to use advanced technologies for the design and construction of new road schemes. This will help us gain more certainty over the budgets for road schemes, improve the safety of our workers and minimise disruption.
To ensure we are providing the least impact on communities, the environment, motorists and providing economic benefits, we have agreed with the Department for Transport that there will be changes to the timescales of some schemes in the north west.
One of the schemes to move into RIS2 will be the A5036 Port of Liverpool access scheme.
The remainder in the region are:
Mottram Moor and the A57(T) link roads element of the Trans-Pennine Upgrade
M56 J11a
M6 J21a-26 smart motorway
M6 J22 junction improvement
As you will be aware, we faced a legal challenge regarding our preferred route choice for the A5036 Port of Liverpool access scheme. This was lodged in November 2017 and heard by the court in October 2018. The court ruled in favour of the preferred route option but naturally the challenge has impacted on the 2019 construction date. We now expect to start work in late 2022 or early 2023.
We are fully committed to working alongside our partners and local community to ensure we have a solution which benefits everyone.
Traffic will only increase on the existing road and wider network beyond the Port of Liverpool. The bypass proposal we are looking to take forward will not only address congestion in these areas but improve the quality of life for those living along the existing road. It will also provide more reliable journeys and improved links to the region whilst future proofing the network.
The bypass will also enable the regions aspirations for economic growth. The improved road network will benefit proposals for new housing and commercial developments as well as servicing Liverpool2.
We are committed to improving driver experience, journey times and provide positive benefits for the local community. We look forward to working with you as we deliver these benefits and will provide updates on the progress of the scheme.