Last week Cheshire East announced nine active travel plans across the county. Unfortunately, though their press release covered the whole scheme and gave little detail about the proposal for Wilmslow. Consequently, it has caused widespread confusion about what is being proposed.
Therefore, after speaking with different parts of the Highways team, I can clarify there are two different schemes:
Scheme 1 – Proposed for End of August
Road Closure at Broad Walk & Carrwood Road
This closure will stop cars from Hawthorn Lane accessing the schools in the Pownall Park area, which will also become a 20mph zone. This is being funded by the Department for Transport's Emergency Active Travel programme and will support the full re-opening of the schools there. It is due to be implemented at the end of August, but consultation with the public is now underway and temporary Traffic Regulation Orders are being advertised. Basic details of this scheme can be found here.
A similar road closure happened in the same spot earlier this year when the drains were dug up and I believe it caused very limited disruption. However, this closure is a temporary measure, so it can be quickly changed if it causes wider issues.
In addition to this, a separate proposal by Wilmslow Town Council has also been made:
Scheme 2 - Still Under Consideration
Proposed Road Closure of Hawthorn Lane at Bank Square
The recent Business and Planning Act 2020 wants councils to help town centres get back up and running. This temporary closure would make the zebra crossing much easier to use, allow more outside seating for the bars and restaurants and would also stop Hawthorn Lane from being a busy cut-through. However, this proposal is still under consideration. If it is accepted, then it will be announced separately with its own short consultation period.
Finally, last week's press release also mentioned additional schemes for London Road and Manchester Road. However, these are the new cycle lanes that have already been announced and do not involve any road closures. The London Road section is already under public consultation and details of the Manchester Road section are due to be published later this month, with work for both parts completed by April 2021.
So, sorry for the confusion but I hope this now sets straight what is happening.
So far, the correspondence I have received on this mostly concerns residents worries about the extra journey time they think the closures will create. Others though have welcomed the idea to turn Hawthorn Lane back into a residential road making it far safer for pedestrians and cyclists to use. However, we will only be able to truly say what will happen if both parts of the temporary scheme are implemented and we must wait to see if that happens or not.
Best regards
Cllr Mark Goldsmith
Wilmslow West & Chorley
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
These proposals, together with similar initiatives across the town, are hugely welcome: we need to take positive steps to reduce air and noise pollution and increase our levels of fitness.
The idea - apart from making it easier to socially distance - is to make it safer and more pleasant to choose walking and cycling into town rather than "nipping over" in the car causing unnecessary congestion and parking space shortages for those that actually need to use a vehicle. The number of cars on the road puts people off cycling altogether, or forces kids and adults alike onto pavements. We can't have this if we want real quality of life.
The two schemes above, taken together, mean there would be a safe route for pedestrians and cyclists to get from South Wilmslow to North and vice versa without attempting Altrincham road, as they will be able to cross over safely at Carnival Fields and the Co-op.
To residents concerned about increased traffic in other parts of the town: I honestly hear you. That said, as residents with children (and elderly friends) we are begging people to stop and imagine a place where most people choose to walk and cycle for journeys of under 20-30min on foot or by bike. It means the school run can be done in this way too. Park and stride/scoot if you have to. Perhaps invest in an electric bike if you don't feel you can manage any hills.
A welcome step in the right direction and I hope Wilmslow can get behind it!
If this means diverting traffic onto the main roads, so be it. It may start people thinking about how they can travel shorter distances without using a car and so reduce car traffic and make a safer and cleaner environment which is surely an objective of us all
Traffic there can most likely be expected to reduce, not increase, maybe by a lot.
1. IF Hawthorn Lane were to be closed at Bank Square - the traffic lights at the Rex will have to be revised to handle the very significant increase in traffic that will need to access Water Lane - as the only route through to shops, Pownall Park and beyond to Altrincham. With the current priorities and timings - I predict tail backs all the way down Manchester Road beyond the King William (King's Head) and not just at peak hours.
2. Some investment in the "cinder paths" that run from the end of Hawthorn Walk and the end of Hawthorn Lane to the back of the Carnival field and rear of Gorsey Bank School could provide cycle ways that could then connect through Pownall Park nearly all the way to the Texaco garage on Altrincham Road. If Hawthorn Park and Hall Road were included - (recognising that these are private roads) a green, safe, traffic free route would extend right through to Grove Street and beyond - with no need to close Hawthorn Lane!
Just a thought!
Also will those who currently travel by car actually migrate to using bike/walking? An example is anyone who drops kids off at School on the way to work are very unlikely to walk to school, then walk back home to pick up the car to then go onto work.
A lot of employees are thinking about their future. They don't want to go back to the daily grind, wasting time on the commute, polluting the air with daily car journeys, fighting for parking spaces etc.
Some employers are also seeing that they don't need staff in the office all the time. By allowing home working into the future, they can save on office costs, recruit from anywhere (you won't just be competing with people locally for jobs any more) and improve their employees work/life balance.
So, we need to be careful about any "traffic increase" predictions which are based on how things were pre-lockdown. I would be surprised if we don't see a dramatic, long-term reduction in the number of daily commutes. If the norm became working at home 3 days and going into the office the other 2, then we would see a big reduction in traffic. With less traffic on the roads, we might even encourage more people to walk, cycle, use e-scooters (once legal) etc.
So - we should be prepared to try out new ideas, see how they work, refine if necessary and encourage a future where the car no longer rules.
Ban all heavy goods traffic transiting Wilmslow at; Handforth bypass, Atlantic Ford, Alderley Edge North bypass roundabout and Altrincham Road, Styal Road etc.
Close Green Lane and relocate bus stop to station car park.
Make Hawthorn Lane one way west bound to Kennerleys Lane and widen pavements etc.
business,s will be severely curtailed which are very valuable as disabled people can manage or be managed to have access.In addition the PO sorting center requires traffic
access and such a proposal must be withdrawn.
And remember, the schools are introducing phased drop offs and pick ups.
Also, the proposals are designed to encourage a modal shift: individual motor vehicle to foot/cycle. Or "park and stride".
We won't know until we try them out. Give it a chance!
As a resident of Altrincham Rd I have seen first hand the impact that previous roadworks / repairs to Hawthorn Lane have on the main roads in to Wilmslow. This has resulted in stationery traffic for most of the day queuing in and out of wilmslow causing absolute chaos as local and pass through traffic are all lumped together.
As a previous post has stated Hawthorn Lane already has traffic calming measures such as speed humps and traffic bays that reduce the average speed to below 10mph for most of the day.
In addition, what happens to the Vets, opticians and childrens nursery when all this is implemented? Will they close? Will they be entitled to compensation?
What happens when people need access to the Post Office sorting office to pick up parcels?
The Luddite comment that it is working as it is - so were horses and carts but times change. And Covid has accelerated changes in how businesses work. More people will continue working from home. Now is an opportunity for change which must not be missed.
Yes it's possible that in future more people will work from home. But I suggest that the time to assess the traffic issue is not in the middle of the summer holidays during a pandemic, but once things have settled down, the schools are back and the weather has returned to North-West normality!
If traffic generally is going to be reduced post COVID then any previously perceived problem will also be reduced so what is the point?
The worst thing is the lack of consultation. I’m sure everyone would respect a democratic process; instead, CEC has fuelled arguments between neighbours.
He says that a similar road closure happened on this spot when the drains were dug up saying it caused very limited disruption. This is not correct; the disruption was enormous and caused busy tailbacks on Altrincham road. There are no alternative routes out of Pownall Park for residents.
Why does the blocking of the road have anything to do with going back to school, nor anything to do with Covid19? Why spend Covid related grants on something that has nothing whatever to do with Covid?
This decision should only be based on statistical evidence:
1. Has there been any in depth analysis of the traffic going down Broadwalk and Hawthorn Lane? I have lived in Broadwalk for over 50 years and the only time there has been problem was when the road was closed for the work on the drains.
2. Has the collision data on these roads been studied? There have been very few serious incidents in the past. There are far more on Altrincham Rd and these will only increase if the traffic is forced through Wilmslow.
3. Have there been any traffic regulation order (TRO) notices for Hawthorn Lane?
4. Has there been any consultation with residents and local businesses? Has anyone thought about the impact on tradesmen, builders etc accessing properties in Pownall Park Imagine Concrete mixers, Rubbish collecting lorries and Removal vans coming down Gorsey Road.
5. There were plenty of people cycling during lockdown because the roads were empty. There are far fewer now and there will be very few in the winter months. The pavements are plenty wide enough for those who want to walk into Wilmslow.
I think it is more important to address the parking problem in Wilmslow to stop parking on Broadwalk, although it is not yet clear if traffic volume will resume to before lockdown levels.
The closure of Hawthorn Lane would severely impact people who are disabled or elderly, cannot walk long distances and who rely on their cars to go to Wilmslow for daily tasks.
Helen Lister, 49 Broadwalk