A500 Dualling

For some time, we have been developing proposals to upgrade the section of the A500 between Meremoor Moss roundabout and M6 junction 16, to dual carriageway standard. The scheme would address existing congestion issues at peak times, increasing resilience and improving safety, as well as facilitating economic growth in and around Crewe. It would also have supported the construction and operation of HS2.

The A500 scheme

The proposed scheme was to widen the A500 immediately to the south of the existing carriageway to create a dual carriageway.  

A500 scheme update

Cancellation of the northern section of HS2 to Crewe, along with recent exceptionally high construction inflation rates has undermined the business case that supported the scheme’s inclusion in the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Major Road Network (MRN) programme. This means that it is highly unlikely that the existing scheme would be successful at Full Business Case stage, meaning it would not receive the DfT grant allocation of £55.1m and the significant costs incurred by the Council of developing the scheme to that point would be abortive.

Following constructive discussions with the DfT we are revising the scope of the scheme via the preparation of an Updated Outline Business Case for a redefined A500 scheme to mitigate the impacts of the cancellation of HS2, whilst retaining the scheme’s position in the Major Roads Network Programme and increasing the MRN grant funding towards the scheme.

This approach was approved by the Highways and Transport Committee on 4^th April 2024 and it is expected that a revised Outline Business Case will be presented to the Committee towards the end of the financial year 2025/26.

At the same meeting, the committee approved the withdrawal of the Compulsory Purchase Order (“CPO”) and Side Roads Order (“SRO”) for the full dualling scheme whilst, where possible, completing land acquisitions required for the construction of the full scheme at a future date, should further funding become available.

Contact Highways

If you have any questions about the scheme, you can contact the project team by emailing A500dualling@cheshireeast.gov.uk.