WILMSLOW ROAD SINKHOLE UPDATE

As many residents will have noticed, yesterday afternoon a sinkhole appeared on Wilmslow Road on the section between the Tower Garage & Piccolino's. Safety barriers have been put in place by engineers from Cheshire East Highways who have carried out in initial inspection of the site. Early indications suggest that the sinkhole is the result of a collapsed sewer (which falls under the responsibility of United Utilities).

United Utilities have been informed and are expected on site shortly to carry out a more detailed investigation. Assuming a sewer collapse is confirmed, United Utilities will then bear the responsibility for carrying out any subsequent repair works. In the meantime, I am in regular communication with Cheshire East Highways and will provide an update when there is more information to share.

HIGHWAYS REPAIR PROGRAMME 2021/22 DETAILS PUBLISHED

Cheshire East Council has published details of its highways repair programme for the financial year 2021/22 (for full details, please see https://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/highways_and_roads/road-maintenance/road-repair-and-improvement-programme-2021-2022/road-repair-and-improvement-programme-2021-2022.aspx).

Unfortunately, this year sees a 21% reduction (£3.9m) in the level of funding the council receives from the Department for Transport to repair and maintain the road network on its behalf. Whilst the reduction in government funding is disappointing, Cheshire East Council has attempted to make good the shortfall this year by investing £3m from its own capital budget - essentially your Council Tax.

Whilst the added investment from your Council Tax has helped, the table above clearly shows a fall in investment in the highways network this year and this inevitably means that Cheshire East Highways will be able to repair and maintain fewer roads this year than last year. Nevertheless, I have been working hard to ensure that some of our local roads do make it onto this year's list.

Macclesfield Road & Knutsford Road (from the Brook Lane Roundabout to the Ward Boundary) have both scored highly being ranked 23rd and 25th on the list respectively. There is a realistic expectation that repairs will be carried out on both routes and this should be confirmed in about 6 weeks time. London Road (between Heyes Lane and Macclesfield Road) is the next highest, ranked in 55th place.

Roads are assessed across the borough in line with the Dept for Transport's required criteria; however, to assist residents in their understanding, I am publishing the assessment criteria below along with this year's list of assessed roads (ranked in terms of score). In summary however, the criteria are: engineer/local councillor priority; road condition; number of defects per scheme; number of customer service requests (complaints) per scheme; claims per scheme; and scheme location.

ALDERLEY ROAD CYCLEWAY OFFICIALLY OPENS

As Deputy Leader of the Council and Chair of the Highways & Transport Policy Committee, I recently had the pleasure of attending the official opening of the new cycleway on Alderley Road, Wilmslow. This £1m scheme has been largely funded through the Local Enterprise Partnership's Local Growth Fund (£900,000) with a match funding contribution of £100,000 from Cheshire East Council.

The cycleway follows the modern design concept of a "shared space" scheme, without segregation for cyclists and pedestrians; however, four pedestrian/cycling symbols are to be added to the surface of the new route to advise users that it is intended for shared use. I am pleased to confirm that a number of further positive features have been included within the scheme:

- a wild flower verge is being created between the cycleway and the road surface

- a raised table has been introduced as a traffic calming measure at the entrance to Fulshaw Park South

- a new bus shelter has been installed, just after the junction with Fulshaw Park South

- the old bus shelter has been up-cycled as a team "dug out" at Wilmslow Rugby Club

- the bench by Fulshaw Park South has been refurbished using recycled materials

Furthermore, advantage was taken during the closure of Alderley Road to carry out some drainage works that have long since plagued this gateway to Alderley Edge and Wilmslow. Two existing gully connections on the north bound lane were found to have collapsed and these have now been diverted to a combined United Utilities combined drainage system, whilst additional combined drainage kerbs have also been installed at the junction with Fulshaw Park South.

Royal London will also replace a 750mm culvert within the boundary of the land under their ownership and will be renewing all gully connections on the southbound lane, as part of their planning agreement. I have also received confirmation from Cheshire East Highways that the road markings on the southbound approach to the Whitehall Bridge Roundabout will be refreshed over the coming weeks.