Relief road approved despite hundreds of objections

7 hours ago

Richard SteadNorth West

The council says Carrington Relief Road will take traffic away from the centre of the village

BBC Photograph of the A6144 in Carrington. The image shows a road sign and a lorry passing along the road. — The council says Carrington Relief Road will take traffic away from the centre of the village

A controversial relief road plan has been approved despite hundreds of objections.

The new road around Carrington in Trafford, first proposed more than a decade ago, will provide a new route to the M60 and reduce congestion in the village, the council said, as well as opening up the area for new housing.

About 5,000 new homes could be built on land close to Manchester United's training ground.

But objectors said the approval of the scheme was "heartbreaking", and it would have a devastating impact on wildlife.

Liz Patel, deputy leader of Trafford Council, said: "This road has been decades in the making and it will offer residents in Partington an alternative route towards the M60.

"The existing road is at maximum capacity and, by our modelling, the relief road will reduce congestion in the village of Carrington by 67%, as well as opening up the area for new homes while mitigating the biodiversity along the route."

Liz Patel, the Deputy Leader of Trafford Council, says the new road will help create new jobs

Photograph of Liz Patel, the Deputy Leader of Trafford Council. She is pictured outside Trafford Town Hall, with Old Trafford cricket ground in the background. — Liz Patel, the Deputy Leader of Trafford Council, says the new road will help create new jobs

The Carrington Relief Road is set to be a 2.7-mile single carriageway that would link the A6144 Manchester Road to an upgraded junction at Banky Lane/Carrington Spur.

Half of the road would cross what is currently open farmland, while the other half would be built on the former Shell petrochemicals site, which closed in the 2000s.

The route would include cycle lanes and specialist Pegasus crossings for horses.

Lorraine Eagling from the Friends of Carrington Moss says the new road will have a devastating impact on wildlife in the area

Photograph of Lorraine Eagling from the Friends of Carrington Moss. She is pictured in front of a farmers field, with horses and electricity pylons in the background. — Lorraine Eagling from the Friends of Carrington Moss says the new road will have a devastating impact on wildlife in the area

When Trafford Council tabled plans to deliver the Carrington Relief Road, it caused uproar, with 680 letters of objection and a petition signed by more than 1,000 people.

A further 191 objections were made during a second round of consultation.

Lorraine Eagling, from the Friends of Carrington Moss, said: "It's heartbreaking because I've lived in this area all my life and everything here will be lost.

"I see the wildlife, I see the skylarks, the lapwings, the buzzards and I've even seen deer on these fields, so its a unique environment."

The 2.7 mile Carrington Relief Road would have a single carriageway, Pegasus crossings for horse and cycle lanes.

Trafford Council CGI image of the Carrington Relief Road. The image shows the layout of the planned road, including cycles lanes. — The 2.7 mile Carrington Relief Road would have a single carriageway, Pegasus crossings for horse and cycle lanes.

Objectors also claimed the plan would increase the number of cars passing through the area, with traffic from the M60 and M62 possibly using the route.

Charlotte Waterworth, the Reform UK councillor for Bucklow St. Martins, said: "The objections are overwhelming and there are plenty of alternative brownfield sites to build houses on across Trafford, so the council should be listening to the residents.

"You don't just live in this area for its charm, the neighbours and the community spirit, you live here for the beautiful scenery as well."