Work on new bypass 50 years in planning could soon start
Work on the long-awaited Mottram Bypass, first proposed in 1965, is set to begin soon after overcoming legal challenges. The £228m A57 link road scheme aims to reduce congestion between Manchester and Sheffield, with preparatory works already underway, including lane closures on Mottram Moor.
Mottram Bypass Construction Imminent After 59-Year Wait
Construction on the long-awaited Mottram Bypass could finally begin within months, ending a 59-year wait since the project was first proposed in 1965. The £228 million A57 link road scheme, designed to ease congestion between Manchester and Sheffield, received final approval last year after a countryside charity’s legal challenge was rejected by the Court of Appeal in 2024.
Preparatory work has already commenced, with lane closures beginning January 13 on Mottram Moor between Back Moor traffic lights and the Gun Inn pub. The closures, which will reduce traffic to single file in both directions through January 19, will enable removal of the pedestrian island. Additional lane restrictions will follow between Back Moor traffic lights and the first bus layby heading eastbound, while ongoing work at Roe Cross Road maintains one narrowed lane in each direction.
The A57 Link Roads project encompasses two new link roads, including the Mottram Moor Link Road—a dual carriageway stretching from M67 junction 4 roundabout to a new junction at Mottram Moor. According to National Highways, the current route suffers from heavy congestion that restricts economic growth, disrupts communities, and creates unsafe conditions for pedestrians. Stalybridge and Hyde MP Jonathan Reynolds welcomed the Court of Appeal’s decision to reject the legal challenge, which had halted planned construction that was scheduled to begin in early 2023.
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