A6 to M60 Link

This section of the SEMMMS Road Scheme would link the A6 at Hazel Grove (at the junction with the A6MARR) with the M60 at Bredbury. A plan has been produced which illustrates the protected route corridor for the A6 to M60 scheme (PDF 540Kb).

The SEMMMS Report recommended that a bypass be built to dual carriageway standard with at grade signal or roundabout junctions, although grade separation may still be considered at Stockport Road West, and Marple Road. Stockport Council is in the process of drawing up plans for the new layout, which will probably follow the old Department for Transport A6 (M) route.

However, variations will be examined where there may be significant environmental benefits.

The A6 to M60 Relief Road also incorporates the Stepping Hill Link Road which would connect the A6, Hazel Grove (near to Sainsbury’s) with the proposed A6 to M60 Relief Road. The SEMMMS report has recommended that a bypass be built to single carriageway standard with at grade signal or roundabout junctions.

Stockport Council is currently reviewing the scheme, which will probably be shorter than the former Department for Transport scheme as it will be likely to join the New Relief Road scheme near Bean Leach Road and not at Offerton Road as in the former scheme.

Business Case review and strategic outline business case

In the March 2015 Budget Statement, Government granted £350,000 to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) to undertake a contemporary review of the case for the A6-M60 Relief Road. Transport for Greater Manchester is overseeing this work, on behalf of GMCA, working in partnership with Stockport Council.

Led by Transport for Greater Manchester in partnership with Stockport Council and on behalf of the GMCA, the work involved the development of a Department of Transport compliant Strategic Outline Business Case for the scheme which is required for the application for funding for the scheme.

The work was undertaken in two phases:

  • Stage 1: Review of previous outline Business Case
  • Stage 2: Production of Strategic Outline Business Case

Further information on the two stages of the study, including a copy of the final Stage 1 Report is provided below.

Stage 1 – Review of previous outline Business Case

The main components of the Stage 1 work include the following:

  • A review of the assumptions within the SEMMMS analysis of the case for the bypass scheme in the context of:
    • Contemporary travel and traffic data;
    • The current economic profile of Greater Manchester;
    • Contemporary local transport policy in Greater Manchester; and
    • Contemporary national transport policy with implications for the study area.
  • Review of the previous outline business case (within the SEMMMS multi-modal study) to identify its strengths and weaknesses.
  • Assessment of the effects of the A6 – M60 Relief Road on the policies and indicators within the Greater Manchester 2040 Transport Strategy.
  • Review of requirements for collection/acquisition of data for the outline business case will be carried out.

The Stage 1 report is provided as follows:

Stage 2 Production of Strategic Outline Business Case

Stage 2 of the study comprises, where appropriate and with the available information, the preparation of a strategic outline business case (SOBC) for the A6-M60 Relief Road, including modelling appropriate to the scheme.

The SOBC draft document can be viewed below:

Appendices

The Strategic Outline Business Case was completed in late 2017 and submitted by the Council to the Department for Transport. A supporting letter was sent to the Secretary of State in January 2018. Subject to approval of the request for further funding, the Outline Business Case would include gathering further information on the potential impacts of the scheme and the development of a package of measures to lock-in the benefits along routes that would be relieved of through-traffic as a result of the scheme.

The Outline Business Case would be used to bid for funding to develop the detail of the scheme and progress the statutory approvals process.

Next steps

Initial feedback from the Department for Transport has confirmed that the timescales for the next round of funding are still to be confirmed. The council is therefore continuing to engage with the Department to confirm the timescales and seek clarification on the likely requirements of the funding round. In the meantime, the council also continues to engage with TfGM and Transport for the North (TfN) to review alternative funding sources.

More information will be provided on this webpage once available.

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