Welcome to the first edition of the NWCP monthly newsletter
The North West Crewe Package (NWCP) is a large-scale infrastructure project, which will significantly ease congestion in the Leighton area and create quicker routes to the hospital. It will improve roads and junctions, bringing forward opportunities for housing developments and for local businesses to expand. It will take place over the next two years and is being delivered on our behalf by Balfour Beatty.
The headlines of what NWCP will deliver are:
- The construction of 2.6km of new single carriageway road
- 7 new junctions
- A realignment of Smithy Lane
- Flowers lane junction improvements on the A530 Middlewich Road and Minshull New Road
- Extension of the ‘Connect 2’ walking and cycling route to Leighton Hospital and North West Crewe
We will keep you up to date with the project latest through these newsletters but there is also the option of attending weekly on-site meetings with our colleagues from Balfour Beatty, who are responsible for the delivery of this project.
These will be held from 12-1pm every Tuesday at their site compound at Leighton Hall Farm The simple aim of these weekly meetings is to answer any questions you may have in relation to the project no matter how wide-reaching they might be.
For an overview of the project, you can also keep up to date via our website at: www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/home.aspx or by contacting the project liaison officer at Balfour Beatty, Steven Doolan by email: steven.doolan@balfourbeatty.com
Progress to date:
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We have:
- Set up the main compound for the project, including the site office delivery and installation
- Ensured that all equipment has been mobilised
- Constructed ‘haul roads’ to move materials around the site
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- Provided site access from Middlewich Road
- Carried out radar surveys and drilled to locate existing services
- Removed topsoil at Leighton Hall roundabout
- Completed surveys and marked out drainage and kerb lines
Upcoming works and traffic management
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We will:
- Overlay the existing A530 Middlewich Road at the new Leighton Hall Farm junction
- Begin construction works at the new Smithy Lane junction
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- Put in place service diversions at new junction locations with existing roads
- Work our way east from Leighton Hall Farm along the new link road forming the route of the new road
We will keep you updated with current information as it becomes available.
The latest now is:
- The A530 Middlewich Road remains closed between Pyms Lane and Smithy Lane with a diversion in operation via Flowers Lane
- 2-way lights are being installed from Smithy Lane for diversion works
- There will be narrow lanes between Smithy Lane and the composting facility, Biowise for the new Smithy Lane roundabout works
Social value
Our contractor Balfour Beatty takes delivering social value on its projects very seriously. In May, they attended a careers event at Church Lawton School where one of their staff talked about how to overcome obstacles in life, going on to discuss how the company offers opportunities to young people thinking of joining the construction industry. |
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In the coming months, Balfour Beatty will continue with a programme of school and college visits sharing information about the project and their industry. Their next educational setting visit is booked in for Thursday 7 July and is a science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) themed event. This will be at the Crewe campus of Cheshire College South & West.
FAQs
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When is this project due to be completed?
The scheme is to be completed over the next two years with the overall highway works for the NWCP expected to take approximately 80 weeks, with major works on different sections of the surrounding road network.
What hours will the contractor be working ?
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Balfour Beatty's working hours for this project are from 8am-6pm Monday to Friday. From a safety perspective, this is the most sensible time to work on an infrastructure project of this nature.
The amount of time saved by working at night would not significantly reduce the overall duration of the project.
How has the diversion route been chosen?
A signed diversion route is in place, details of which can be found on our scheme webpage (North West Crewe Package traffic management (cheshireeast.gov.uk) – we urge all road users to follow it.
The diversion route in place provides a similarly classed road to that being closed, to ensure large vehicles can navigate the closure in safety. We have worked extremely hard to ensure that the route is minimised as far as possible, without using unsuitable roads and junctions.
How do people access Leighton Hospital?
Access to the hospital is unaffected to all users other than those on the A530 approaching from the direction of Nantwich. The Hospital ‘H’ symbol should be followed along the official diversion route. This route automatically becomes the existing hospital route at University Way.
How is Crewe’s household waste and recycling centre accessed?
It can only be accessed from the A530 from the direction of Nantwich after the Coppenhall roundabout. Direction information signs are now in place.
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