PRESS RELEASE : £34 million funding boost for Greater Manchester A34 improvements [November 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 30 November 2023.

Funding will help to reduce congestion, improve connectivity and generate more than £72 million in benefits for Greater Manchester and Stockport.

Millions of people in Greater Manchester and Stockport will benefit from reduced congestion and better connectivity thanks to nearly £34 million in government investment to deliver crucial improvements to the A34 between Cheadle and Handforth.

Today (30 November 2023), Roads Minister, Guy Opperman, visited Stockport to lay the first spades in the ground as he confirmed works can start on the A34 corridor improvement scheme.

With the A34 long plagued by traffic bottlenecks, the £33.6 million government investment will tackle congestion and reduce local journey times, particularly to Manchester Airport, and is expected to generate more than £72 million in direct economic benefits for Greater Manchester and Stockport.

The project will also benefit those who choose to walk and cycle by creating a new segregated pedestrian and cycle route running along the A34, providing new opportunities for active and sustainable travel.

The A34 improvements follow £1.2 billion announced earlier in November to repair roads across the North West, part of the unprecedented £8.3 billion boost from Network North to improve journeys for all and resurface over 5,000 miles of roads across England.

Roads Minister, Guy Opperman, said:

We have invested nearly £34 million into improving the A34, easing congestion and improving safety for local drivers while helping to improve connections to grow the economy across Stockport, Greater Manchester and the North West.

It was great to visit Cheadle today and hear first-hand how our funding will help improve one of Stockport’s key roads as we work hard to keep this country moving and back drivers.

On top of the government’s £33.6 million funding boost, Stockport Council and local third-party funders will provide just under £10 million for a total of £43 million joint investment in the scheme.

The improvements will boost access to the Cheadle Royal Business Park and the Stanley Green business area, and include a new pedestrian subway for pupils and staff at Kingsway School, giving parents peace of mind that their kids can walk safely to school.

Councillor Mark Roberts, Deputy Leader of Stockport Council, said:

This latest milestone in the project is a vote of confidence in the borough and fantastic news for Stockport.

This work aims to encourage and support more sustainable forms of transport and more accessible and safer routes while also improving junctions and traffic flow on a road area that has been a challenge for many years.

We believe this new scheme will help to encourage active travel by encouraging and enabling our residents to make healthier choices when they travel around our borough, as well as for those that need to use a car.

Councillor Grace Baynham, Cabinet Member for Highways, Parks and Leisure Services, said:

The A34 is a vital route in the borough, and this investment will bring a host of benefits to not only the A34 corridor, but Stockport as a whole.

Construction will start as soon as possible and will be delivered in phases to minimise disruptions for all road users. The package of improvements is set to be completed by spring 2027.

The improvements to the A34 also come alongside the Plan for Drivers announced in October, which includes £70 million to keep traffic flowing, updating 20 mph zone guidance for England to help prevent inappropriate blanket use, and measures to speed up the rollout of electric vehicle charging.