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By-pass inquiry to proceed despite loss of funding

Betty Anderson
28/12/2004

A PUBLIC inquiry into the route of Alderley Edge by-pass will go ahead on January 11, despite the collapse of government funding for the project this year.

The county council confirmed the inquiry will be held at The Marriott Hotel, Hale, and a free bus service will operate to allow convenient transport for the public.

Last week there were calls for the hearing to be abandoned after the government axed the £38.5 million scheme from the transport budget for 2004/2005 .

Jackie Potter, spokesman for the Department of Transport said the road retained provisional approval but was not an immediate priority for the region's road network.

She said: "Provisional approval has not been withdrawn. Ministers have decided that the decision on the timing of the scheme will be taken in the light of prioritisation advice from the region. No date has yet been set for the receipt of advice but this may result in some slippage from the current timetable for the scheme."

Frank Keegan, Chairman of Alderley Edge Parish Council, earlier called for the public inquiry to be shelved.

He said: "It is a waste of half a million pounds of tax payers money to hold an inquiry into a route which the Government had decided is too expensive. We should go back to the original cheaper scheme which was supported by government.

"The village needs the by-pass. Every day about 22,000 vehicles pass through the village; the route could reduce that to around 10,000."

Residents wishing to make use of the concessionary bus service to The Marriott Hotel to attend the inquiry should telephone 01244 603571 before Tuesday, December 30.

The route will start at Monks Heath and travel along the A34 to Wilmslow, then the A538 to Hale.