A556 Knutsford to Bowdon (August update)

Work to improve a vital link between the M56 and M6 began in November 2014 and has been progressing well since. The £200m project involves constructing a new 7.5km 4 lane dual carriageway between the two motorways in order to relieve congestion on this busy corridor.

The A556 is a major trunk road which serves North Cheshire, South Manchester and provides a crucial link between the M6 junction 19 and M56 junction 7. The existing A556 alignment is currently used by 51,000 vehicles per day, 11% of which are heavy goods vehicles. 

For more information about the project click Here

A great deal has happened since our initial look at the project in March this year (2015), works are now underway across the majority of 7.5km site.  As the new A556 alignments is being constructed away from the existing road a lot of the main works are not visible from the current A556.

Away from the A556 ground works are well underway to construct several bridges which will take the new dual carriageway under a number of roads including the A50, Chapel Lane and Millington Lane. 

Towards Bowdon a large section of land has now been cleared and levelled so that work can commence on the construction of a new grade separated junction providing a free flow link to the M56 which will remove the at grade roundabout separating traffic travelling toward Altringham.

The current view of Bowdeo junction from Yarwood Heath Ln

Construction of the new dual carriageway will require the excavation of  1 million cubic metres of earth, all of which will be reused on site to level the terrain and for landscaping in order to mitigate the impact of the new road. 

A visible sign of this translocation process can be seen at the point where the new road will pass under the A50. Here articulated Moxy dump trucks currently have to cross the A50 to carry material from one section of the work site to the other. The trucks which can carry up to 40 tonnes of material each have to cross the road under traffic light control. 

An articulated Moxy crosses the A50 having been given a green light. 

Work to level terrain on the north side of the A50, facing in the direction of Bucklow Hill


Facing south in the direction that material is currently being transported in. 


Facing North toward Bowdon at Millington Lane

Facing South, Moxys parked waiting for work to commence at Millington Lane. 

So far disruption of the A556 has been kept to a minimum other than speed restrictions and some overnight closures. However some noticeable disruption will occur in September (2015) when the junction which provides access to the westbound M56 from the southbound A556 will close for 4 weeks.

As well as the closure of the slip-road there will be overnight closures of A556 southbound and northbound between Bowdon Roundabout and Bucklow Hill. The overnight closures will be between the 18th of September and 2nd of October, there will however be no night time closures on Saturdays or Sundays. The overnight closures will commence from 9pm until 6am each night.

The closure of junction 8 and overnight closure of the A556 will allow for work to be undertaken to refurbish the Chester Road bridge which carries the A556 and start of the slip road over the motorway.

For more information about the closure and a map of the diversion route visit the Highways Agency web page,

Map of the new A556 route


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Location: Mere, Cheshire East, UK

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