Road works in Stockport town centre could last until the end of March – with a new temporary closure planned.

A new traffic-light controlled crossing is being built for pedestrians and cyclists on Wellington Road between Viaduct Park and the Hat Works museum, to make better links from Stockport Interchange to the rest of the town centre.

Work started in January and has meant narrowing the lanes on the A6 to traffic while this takes place.

Stockport council said the work is set to finish by the end of March when the crossing is expected to be ready.

A closure is also being planned on Daw Bank from 12 March to 30 March in both directions between the Exchange Street and Mersey Square junction, this is so scaffolding can be put up as part of installing new railings on the A6 Viaduct parapet.

The new railings will increase the height of the parapet to allow cyclists to use new sections of a shared footway/cycleway on the approaches to the new crossing.

Signed diversion routes for vehicles and cyclists will be in place during the Daw Bank closure, the council said, adding that all the works have been 'carefully planned to minimise disruption.'

Works have been taking place along the A6 / Wellington Road South, outside Stockport Interchange (Image - Nub News)

It also said that it has been working with Transport for Greater Manchester to plan diversions for bus services on the A6 and Daw Bank during closures.

Cllr Grace Baynham, the council's transport chief, said in January that the scheme will be a boost for sustainable travel in the town.

She added: "The new crossing will also provide a link to the Interchange's bridgescape to the train station and our helix ramp, helping to further cement our sustainable travel connections in our town centre."

There are also separate plans for active travel improvements based around Wellington Road in a scheme known as the A6 Corridor, set to cost up to £15m.

This will create new cycling routes to the east and west of the main road, with 1.1km of new bus lanes between the boundary of Manchester and Stockport town centre.

But the plans were criticised by active travel campaigners and some local councillors, who called for cycling lanes directly on Wellington Road instead of down side streets.

During a Stockport council meeting last July, a town hall officer said the cost of putting in new cycle lanes directly along the A6 would be "absolutely colossal" due to diverting utilities and moving kerbs.

The scheme is being funded by the Greater Manchester City Region Transport Settlement, with the first phase expected in 2025 and work planned to last until 2027.

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