COMMUNITY SURGERY - SATURDAY 30TH OCTOBER

I would like to remind residents that I will be holding my regular community surgery this Saturday morning, between 10am and 11am at Alderley Edge Library. Please do come along and join me for a chat if there are any community related issues you would like to discuss.

In line with government restrictions, regrettably I was forced to cancel my face-to-face indoor surgeries during the pandemic; however, in line with the removal of formal restrictions, I have now re-started my surgery on the last Saturday of each month.

I look forward to seeing you this Saturday.

COMMUNITY SPEEDWATCH - A SPEEDING VEHICLE EVERY MINUTE ON WILMSLOW ROAD

On Thursday 14th October, I joined Parish Councillors Bev Chapman and Karen Robinson along with other local volunteers from our Community Speedwatch Team. On this occasion we were stationed on Wilmslow Road between 2pm and 3pm, during which time we recorded no less than 60 vehicles exceeding the speed threshold (in other words, one speeding vehicle per minute).

The detailed results of our session were as follows:

- 45 vehicles were recorded above the speed threshold, but under 40mph

- 14 vehicles were recorded travelling between 40mph and 50mph

- 1 vehicle was recorded travelling over 50mph (52mph)

Of the number of vehicles recorded speeding, 51 were travelling south along Wilmslow Road towards Alderley Edge village, whereas only 9 vehicles were travelling away from the village towards Wilmslow. The results provide further evidence which will help support my proposals for the introduction of traffic calming measures along Wilmslow Road and in the village centre.

Community Speedwatch is a national campaign and our local volunteers provide a valuable service which is backed by Cheshire Police. As always, the more volunteers we have, the more sessions we will be able to run and inevitably these help to make our roads safer for all users. If you would be interested in giving up an hour a month to support our efforts, do please get in touch.

KNUTSFORD ROAD TO CLOSE FOR CARRIAGEWAY REPAIRS

Residents will recall that the funding Cheshire East Council receives from central government for road maintenance was cut by 23% (£4m) this year; unfortunately but understandably, this has had an impact on Cheshire East Highways' repair programme. Nevertheless, I am delighted to announce that Knutsford Road has been added to the programme and that repairs will take place shortly.

Earlier this summer, carriageway patching works were carried out on Macclesfield Road and the results have been a welcome improvement for all road users (motorists, cyclists and pedestrians). The works to Knutsford Road will begin at the junction with Brook Lane (Alderley Edge), continue through Chorley and on until the Bird in Hand at Mobberley.

While most of the planned works fall outside the Alderley Edge Ward Boundary, I am sure that many residents of the village who travel this route regularly will be pleased to hear the news. I hope they will also share my joy that the mini-roundabout at the junction of Brook Lane and Knutsford Road is to be completely resurfaced and re-marked at the same time.

Due to the extent of the planned works, which are proposed for early November, there will be a nine-day rolling road closure of various sections along Knutsford Road. At the time of writing, I am still waiting for confirmation of the exact dates, but will post these to my blog and share them on social media as soon as I am made aware of them.

Whilst the route will be closed to through traffic, engineers from Cheshire East Highways will do their best to enable access to residential properties and businesses at all times.