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A556Knutsford to Bowdonimprovement scheme

Welcome

Highways England -- Creative Xxxxxxx

A556Knutsford to Bowdon improvement scheme

What we’re doing

We’re bypassing Tabley, Mere and

Bucklow Hill by building nearly 5 miles

of new dual carriageway from the M6 at

junction 19, near Knutsford, to the M56

at junction 7 near Bowdon.

TattonDale

M6

M56

M56

A56

A56

A50

A50

A50

Line of route to be de-trunked

Line of the bypass

A5034

A5033

A556

Junction 8

Junction 7

Junction 19

Tatton ParkTatton Park

MereHallMereHall

Knutsford ServicesKnutsford Services

Mere

Bucklow Hill

Rostherne

Bowdon

Knutsford

HooGreen

OverTabley

BoothBank

RostherneMere

The

Mer

e

Cicely Mill Lane

Rostherne Lane

Bucklow Hill Lane

Moss Lane

Millington LaneCherry Tree Lane

Millington Hall Lane

Chapel Lane

© Crown copyright and database rights 2014 Ordnance Survey 100030649

Bentleyhurst Lane

Diagrammatic

Artist’s impression of the Bowdon roundabout on completion.

View south over the earthworks at Bowdon roundabout.

View north over M6 junction 19 towards Mere.

View west of the site of the new junction with the A50.

Highways England – Creative N150443


How you’ll benefit

Safer roads

We’re improving road safety by building a bypass

for Tabley, Mere and Bucklow Hill to remove long

distance traffic from those villages. Once the

bypass is complete, the old A556 will be reduced

to one lane in each direction. We will use the other

lanes to create a new cycle, horse and pedestrian

route.

We’re also improving the layout of M56 junction 7

at Bowdon and the way the junctions operate at

Bucklow Hill and Mere.

Improved links to Manchester airport

The new dual carriageway between junction 19 of

the M6 and junction 7 of the M56 will make

travelling between the M6, south Manchester and

Manchester Airport quicker and more predictable.

More information, less congestion

The scheme will bring significant benefits to

strategic traffic between the M6, south Manchester

and Manchester Airport by reducing journey times

and improving journey time reliability.

Helping the environment

We build and maintain all of our roads with the

environment in mind. We do our best to minimise

the impact of our roads on native species and the

natural environment, to reduce noise, to protect

watercourses from pollutant spillage and to keep

our roads clean and tidy. The de-trunked road will

have lit junctions using environmentally friendly

lighting and it will include our first ‘green bridge’ to

provide a safe crossing point for wildlife.

Computer generated impression of Highways England’s first ‘green bridge’.



We don’t do so much digging and landscaping

over winter, so changes won’t be so obvious but

we’ll be busy working on structures and utility

diversions.

Narrow lanes will remain between Cherry Tree Lane

and Bowdon roundabout while we upgrade the

road to modern standards.

Spring Summer Autumn WinterAutumn Winter Spring Summer Autumn Winter Spring Summer Autumn Winter

2014 2015 2016 2017

Enabling works and environmental mitigationEnabling works and environmental mitigation

StructuresStructuresStructures

Utilities diversionsUtilities diversionsUtilities diversions

Earthworks season 1Earthworks season 1Earthworks season 1

Side road realignmentsSide road realignmentsSide road realignments

Earthworks season 2Earthworks season 2Earthworks season 2

Roadworks and pavementsRoadworks and pavementsRoadworks and pavements

Finishing worksFinishing worksFinishing works

Detrunking worksDetrunking worksDetrunking works

New A556 open to trafficNew A556 open to trafficNew A556 open to traffic

E

CompletedCompleted

MobilisationMobilisationMobilisation

What’s next?

In Summer 2016 we will complete:

Bowdon link bridge

Millington Lane bridge

Tabley link / Old Hall Lane

In Autumn 2016 we will complete:

A50 bridge

Bentleyhurst Lane bridge

Chapel Lane bridge

Sign up to the A556 Knutsford to Bowdon web page* for regular scheme updates: http://goo.gl/KLy3J2

*Full URL - http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/road-projects/a556-knutsford-to-bowdon-improvement

You can scan this QR code with your

smartphone to go to the web page

Don’t forget to bookmarkthe page to keep up-to-date.

or

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here to go to the web page.



Work to construct the new A556 Knutsford to

Bowdon dual carriageway started in November

2014.

To date we have:

established the main site office in Little

Bollington and the satellite compound on the

A50.

started constructing five of the eight structures

completed the underpass on Old Hall Lane

completed 70% of the utility diversions and

protection works

We’ve also carried out extensive work to reduce the

impact of our work on the environment.

This includes:

excluding great crested newts from the working

area

creating 21 ponds for newts

two-for-one replacement of any bat roosts

donating barn owl boxes to a local barn owl

group

constructing a new badger sett

removing and destroying all invasive plant

species

working more efficiently at our compound to

reduce the amount of lorries on local roads

View north over M6 junction 19 towards Mere.

What have we done so far?



Great crested newt exclusion fencing.

View south over the earthworks at Bowdon roundabout.

Old Hall Lane underpass and construction team

We’ve installed 14.5 miles of fencing

across the project. That’s enough to

stretch from Mere all the way into the

centre of Manchester.

We’ve moved over 700,000 cubic

metres of earth. That’s enough to fill

more than 10,000 shipping

containers... about three container

ships-worth!

We’ve installed over 5 miles

of drainage so far. That’s the same

length as this whole scheme.

There are around 300 people

working on the project 6 of whom are

apprentices.

Some facts and figures



Working in the community

The A556 Scheme is proud to support local

communities and inspire young people to take up

careers in engineering.

Our team is dedicated to protecting and enhancing

the environment and leaving a positive lasting

legacy.

Balsam Bash

In July we got together with the Friends of the

Bowdon Bollin to help to clear an area of Himalayan

Balsam that had invaded the riverbank.

Engaging with local schools

Our community team has built links with local

schools to encourage learning about the

environment. They also promote the engineering

industry and showcase the range of jobs available.

Developing skilled workers for the future

The project runs an

apprenticeship programme

and we have 6 apprentices

(3 of whom are pictured)

currently working on site in

a variety of roles. There

have also been 3 work

experience placements so far.

Working with the local councils

We work hard to keep local communities and parish

councils well informed and our team works closely

with the local councils to plan traffic diversions to

minimise disruption to both commuters and the

communities affected.Staff volunteers removing Himalayan Balsam.

Local primary school environmental assembly.



De-trunking

The de-trunking will mean that the existing A556

will be re-classified, renumbered and redesigned

to discourage use by non-local traffic. The

de-trunked Chester Road will be reduced to a

single carriageway after the opening of the new

route.

The existing southbound carriageway will have one

lane in each direction. The existing northbound

Changing junctions on the existing A556

Bucklow Hill junction – before and after

Mere crossroads – before and after

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WARRINGTO

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A55

6A

556

A55

6A

556

Mere FarmMere Farm

A50

A50

Golf Course

Major traffic routes

Golf Course

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A50

A50

Mere FarmMere Farm


Local traffic routes



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CICELY MILL LANE

Swan Hotel

Bucklow Hill

A 5034

CHAPEL LANE

Mere Hall Farm

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CICELY MILL LANE

Swan Hotel

Bucklow Hill

A 5034

CHAPEL LANE

Mere Hall Farm

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Footway/cycleway/bridleway Single carriageway roadBund

carriageway will be a dedicated track for

pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians only.

We’re going to make changes to the two traffic light

junctions on the section of Chester Road we’re

improving. Mere Crossroads will be reconfigured

and the A50 will become the main through route.

Bucklow Hill junction will be modified to

accommodate the new flow of traffic using the left

turn at Bucklow Hill onto Mereside Road (A5034).

After

After

Before

Before


Documents

Knutsford to Bowdon improvement scheme Welcome · Bucklow Hill Lane Moss Lane Millington Lane Cherry Tree Lane Millington Hall Lane ... the page to keep up-to-date. or tap your NFC