The new junction at Broken Cross remains a concern for many of us.
Richard Slater, who runs Henbury Travel, was a Henbury Parish Councillor for many years. He resigned recently in order to focus on his business, but he has continued to campaign tirelessly to hold Cheshire East and Bellway to account for the ongoing issues regarding the safety of the junction.
At the outline application for the Bellway Weaver Green Development off Chelford Road, a specific planning condition was set to ensure that all the required improvement works at Broken Cross were completed before any prospective purchaser could occupy their new home.
- Prior to the first occupation of any dwelling built as a result of the development hereby permitted, the Broken Cross highway improvements as shown on plan reference 1916-F04 Revision B shall be carried out to the full written satisfaction of the Local Planning Authority.
The improvement works started at Broken Cross on 30 August 2022. Bellway's contractors left the junction in January 2023 with over 20 safety issues, and have not returned since.
In July 2023 Bellway started to move residents in. Henbury Parish Council and residents informed Cheshire Planning Enforcements, but Cheshire East ignored residents' concerns and continue to allow Bellway to breach the planning condition above.
Recently Richard attended the full Cheshire East Council meeting at Macclesfield Town Hall, and raised his concerns about the safety issues. Sadly Cheshire East re-iterated the stock response they had used in September 2023.
Cheshire East have stated that Bellway's contractors will return to the junction in April, but this re-assurance was also offered last year.
Richard lists the following outstanding points of concern:
- Concerns about the lane widths on Chelford Road. Retailers on the junction tell of near misses every day.
- Traffic turning right out of Tesco Express can block the junction completely. The A537 is a red route for the emergency services. However the Tesco Express site and related traffic movements did not appear on any plans for the junction. Why not?
- Painted arrows in the centre of the junction are confusing.
- Public service vehicles are still mounting the pavement on the corner of Fallibroome Road, coming close to children walking to school because the lanes have been narrowed too much.
- The pedestrian refuges on Fallibroome & Gawsworth Road are too steep for wheelchair users.
- There are no right turn filters on the traffic lights.
- There are no pedestrian crossing signals on Fallibroome and Gawsworth Road.
- The pavement on the south side of the zebra crossing on Gawsworth Road is not wide enough for wheelchair users or prams, they have to use the road.
- Buses turning left out of Princes Way have to go on the opposite side of the road to get enough turning circle.
- The 'new grass verge' that was created on Princes Way is still to be finished. Full of building rubble and weeds.