Wednesday 5 September 2007

Battle of Peak by-pass begins

Battle lines have been drawn over plans for a major by-pass across part of a national park.Peak District National Park Authority has set out its objections to the road on the edge of Greater Manchester.The Highways Agency and Tameside council want a 3.5mile by-pass to divert traffic away from Mottram, Tintwistle and Hollingworth.If the scheme gets the go-ahead, it would link Tameside with the A628 Woodhead Pass to Yorkshire.The national park's barrister, Giles Cannock opened the planning inquiry by detailing the legal requirements for such developments to take place. He said: "Major developments should not take place in national parks except under exceptional circumstances."Problems arising with congestion are recognised by all parties and the park accepts that the proposed scheme would deliver some benefits to the three villages."But the park also asserts that the benefits fail to outweigh the clear and acknowledged harm it would cause.Impact "This is in terms of impact on the environment, the visual appearance of the park, its culture and heritage, as well as its ecology and recreational pursuits. "The park is, therefore, asking the planning inspector not to proceed with the scheme."The planning inspector has received 1,400 objections to the scheme. The A628 carries more than 40,000 vehicles a day and supporters of the bypass say it would divert 70 per cent of the traffic which currently travels through Mottram, 60 per cent from Tintwistle and 25 per cent from Hollingworth. Park transport policy manager Emily Davies reiterated that government policy recommends that new routes avoid national parks unless there are exceptional circumstances. She said: "In a national park, environmental quality is always of primary concern and long distance traffic should be redirected and road developments should go round the park."Any scheme which failed to conserve the natural beauty of the park and would not favour conservation would, therefore, fail to meet the park's needs."The bypass will not restrict traffic growth, nor will it restrict traffic on non-trunk road routes - and, therefore, it is not in accordance with government planning legislation. "There could also be an increase of traffic from the M62 on cross-park routes which, once again, is against national park policy."

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I like the photo of the pine trees, are they on the route of the bypass?

Tameside Citizen said...

Yes, anyone wishing to assassinate me can find me in that area on a regular basis. The pine trees are on the opposite side of the A628 close to where Vale House reservoir starts. It is a very scenic location with some great walks up onto the dark peak and would be a tragic loss if the bypass is built.

Anonymous said...

comment by anti-bypass barrister yesterday at the PI:

"I accept that there is no evidence, from either source, to indicate a detrimental effect to flora or fauna along the route of the bypass"

Anonymous said...

There is plenty of evidence to show that there will be a major detrimental effect on the flora and fauna along the route of the bypass. Furthermore the quote below cannot be found in the transcripts of the PI.

Anonymous said...

Stop spinning your bullshit Councillor Parker-Perry.

LABOUR PARTY LIES.

Anonymous said...

Leave Sean alone he's a lovely boy.

Anonymous said...

Watch it.

My Daddy-in-law is a Lord.

Anonymous said...

You are just jealous - sticks and stones!

Anonymous said...

A NEW bypass will destroy habitats of 'principal importance' for wildlife. The diversion will run over heathland home to the green hairstreak butterfly and will hinder visitors to the Peak District, a public inquiry has heard.

Tameside council and the highways agency want a 3.5 mile by-pass to divert traffic away from Mottram, Tintwistle and Hollingworth.

If the road is approved it will link Tameside with the A628 Woodhead Pass to Yorkshire.

Supporters of the scheme have already told the hearing the road is essential.

The Peak District National Park Authority oppose plans to run the by-pass through the national park.

Judy Merryfield, from area management and recreation, said people visiting the park already experience problems crossing roads.

She said: "It is quite unpleasant now due to the high volume of traffic, a lot of it in convoy, and the large number of HGVs.

"The volume of traffic will increase if the by-pass goes ahead. Therefore the situation would deteriorate for pedestrians, walkers and horse riders."

Rhodri Thomas, ecology manager in the national park, said his major concern was about the environmental impact of the scheme.

He said 550 metres of the road would run through the park and destroy the natural habitat of species such as the green hairstreak butterfly.

He said: "The proposal would result in direct land take at both Holybank and Harry's Quarry and the land between the two.

"Approximately 4.08 hectares of heath and heath and grass, representing a substantial proportion of these habitats, would be permanently lost

"Further unquantified areas would be subject to temporary land-take and yet further areas would be fragmented by the construction of the by-pass."

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1015/1015671_peak_bypass_battle.html

tonydj said...

We have a national problem with road transport. There are too many lorries on the roads. Rail transport is an obvious solution...BUT....the Road Haulage lobby is extremely powerful.

I would like to see a return to the 19th century system, whereby goods would go by a short road journey to a rail-head/depot and then by rail to another rail-head/depot then by short road journey to their destination.

Trans-Penine journeys would be by rail.