Greater Manchester is set to benefit from 5,000 more jobs thanks to a new road improving connections in and around the city to Manchester Airport
The Department for Transport has said to have contributed £165 million towards the construction which has already helped motorists to reduce their journey times.
The £290 million dual carriageway, which links the A6 at Hazel Grove to the M56, also provides better connections to the £1 billion Airport City business park and development sites in Handforth Dean and Woodford.
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: “We are investing more in improving our roads than ever before – making it easier, safer and quicker for people to get where they want to go.
“This new road will not only make it easier for people to get to the airport and away on holiday, but it will help businesses in the North West improve their access to world trade through flights from Manchester.
“It will also lead to the creation of thousands of jobs, boosting the economy and further demonstrating the strength of the North West’s role in the Northern Powerhouse.
Alongside the road, a new pedestrian and cycle path is giving people alternative travel choices to the airport and nearby business park.”
Happy that the new road is up and running for people to use, Councillor Alex Ganotis, Leader of Stockport Council, said: “By providing such a direct link between Hazel Grove and Manchester Airport the road will undoubtedly become one of the key routes people and businesses use as they travel in and around our region.
“As well as reducing journey times and reducing congestion on many local roads, the benefits that the new road creates are huge.”
Greater Manchester also received a £69.5 million boost from the latest Budget, bringing its Transforming Cities Fund total to £312.5 million.
The fund is designed to improve public transport links to jobs, and the council has decided to invest in better cycling and tram links across the city.
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “Greater Manchester is emerging as a world-class city-region and we want to work with government to deliver a transport system to support it.
“This new road connects Manchester Airport with the people and businesses of Stockport, Manchester and East Cheshire.
“It was only made possible by Department for Transport and Greater Manchester Combined Authority funds and it is a good example of central government working together with a city-region to deliver major infrastructure that improves people’s lives.
