CHESHIRE EAST COUNCIL TO CONSULT ON TRAFFIC CALMING PROPOSALS

This week, Cheshire East Council will begin a long-awaited consultation on proposals to cut speed and improve highway safety in the centre of Alderley Edge. The consultation, which will focus on proposals to introduce a 20mph zone and associated traffic calming measures, runs from Friday 20th August until Monday 20th September and is being carried out online.

This is hopefully the penultimate step in a journey which began with a speed assessment that I requested in the autumn of 2019, in response to residents' concerns about speeding vehicles. Following on from this, in the summer of 2020 I carried out a survey of businesses and residents, supported by officers from Cheshire Police, Cheshire East Highways & Cheshire East Anti-social Behaviour Team.

The Multi Agency Action Group (MAAG) comprising representatives from the above (as well as other emergency services) considered feedback from the initial survey and concluded that the proposed 20mph zone and traffic calming represented the most appropriate response to the issues identified. A Public Space Protection Order was also considered, but rejected as a first stage response.

The proposals now drawn up focus on the introduction of a 20mph zone beginning at the following key entry points to the village: Wilmslow Road, Brook Lane, Ryleys Lane, Congleton Road, Mottram Road and Heyes Lane. The zone would be supported by the installation of physical infrastructure in the form of raised tables at the following locations:

- pelican crossing on Wilmslow Road outside Alderley Edge School for Girls

- pelican crossing on London Road by the steps down towards Waitrose

- pelican crossing on London Road by Costa Coffee/The Edit

- pelican crossing on Ryleys Lane by Alderley Edge Community Primary School

Two further raised tables would be introduced. The first of these would be on Ryleys Lane, outside the entrance to The Ryleys School; and the other would be on Congleton Road heading up the hill just after the De Trafford Arms. Red-coloured textured road surfacing would also be introduced just beyond the junction with Beechfield Road and Congleton Road, as well as on the railway bridge on London Road.

Whilst there is no single solution to the issue of speeding vehicles that has plagued Alderley Edge in recent years, I am in agreement with the MAAG that the current set of proposals represent the most viable and effective solution possible with the funds we have available (the implementation would be paid for via s.106 funds that have previously been raised on developments in Alderley Edge and as such, there would be no cost to the taxpayer of Alderley Edge or Cheshire East Borough).

I would encourage as many residents and businesses as possible to complete the short consultation form, which can be found at: surveys.cheshireeast.gov.uk/s/AlderleyEdgeProposed20mphZone/ and I would also like to make a strong personal plea to everyone to support the proposals. I have placed hard copies on the notice board outside Waitrose and in the Park, as well as at the Library.