A556 road
Encyclopedia
The A556 is a road in England
which extends from the village of Delamere
in Cheshire
to the village of Bowdon
in Greater Manchester
. The road contains a mixture of single
and dual carriageway
sections and forms a large part of the route between Manchester
and Chester
. The part of the route between the M6 motorway
junction 19 and the M56 motorway
junction 7 is a major route into Manchester and has been considered for upgrade to Motorway status
and was to be known as the A556(M).
The road is frequently very congested, carrying approximately 50,000 vehicles per day, and has a high accident record; between 1998 and 2005, there were around 200 accidents, resulting in 5 fatalities and 39 people being seriously injured.
At its northern limit, the road ends at a large roundabout with the A56
. The A56 continues towards central Manchester via Altrincham
. The A556 provides a spur to the M56 at Junction 7. The A556 runs south west as a dual carriageway before changing to a single carriageway with four lanes (that is no physical separation between the traffic flows) and leads to traffic lights at the junction with the A5034 at Bucklow Hill. The route then crosses the A50
at Mere
near the Mere Golf and Country Club before continuing to a roundabout at Junction 19 of the M6.
The four-laned single carriageway continues in a south westerly direction to another set of traffic lights. A left (easterly) turn here joins the A5033 towards Knutsford
. The road continues curving more towards a westerly direction and undulates on its way towards Northwich
with only minor junctions until traffic lights for the junction with Plumley Moor Road (leading towards Plumley
) by The Smoker pub.
At the junction with the A559 just outside the village of Lostock Gralam
the road becomes dual carriageway
again (it gains a central reservation) and turns south to bypass the town of Northwich
. As the road skirts the south of Northwich, there is a roundabout with the A530
(south towards Middlewich
); traffic lights for the Gadbrook Park industrial estate and another roundabout (the 'Davenham
' roundabout) for the A533. The road then crosses the River Weaver
by an iron bridge, Hartford Bridge
, known locally as the Blue Bridge, before heading in a westerly direction to the village of Sandiway
near Cuddington
.
The road through the village is limited to 40 miles per hour (17.9 m/s) and has traffic light junctions with Dalefords Lane/School Lane and the A49
. Through Sandiway the road also becomes a two lane carriageway and continues as such to its end. As the road enters Sandiway, the Round Tower Lodge can be seen stranded in the central reservation of the road.
After the A49 junction the road road becomes delimited and turns to a south westerly route past Oakmere
and into a 50 miles per hour (22.4 m/s) limit for the junction with the B5152 that leads north to Delamere
and Delamere Forest
. The road rises up to finish at a junction with the A54
that continues towards Kelsall
and Chester
. This junction does not obviously mark the end of the A556 since traffic on the A556 has right of way and traffic on the A54 has to give way to join.
's Route Management Strategy (RMS) to gradual upgrading to dual carriageway
standard with a 50 mph speed limit, rather than a full upgrade to motorway.
The section of the A556 between the M6 and M56 is a main route into Manchester. In March 2010, the proposed plan was to divert the A556 along this section to avoid Mere and Bucklow Hill at a budgetary cost of £107 million.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
which extends from the village of Delamere
Delamere, Cheshire
thumb|right|200px|Map of civil parish of Delamere within the former borough of Vale RoyalDelamere is a civil parish and village in Cheshire. It is situated approximately 7 miles to the west of Northwich, within the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester.The village is well-known for the...
in Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
to the village of Bowdon
Bowdon, Greater Manchester
Bowdon is a suburban village and electoral ward in the Altrincham area of the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England.-History:...
in Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
. The road contains a mixture of single
Single carriageway
A single carriageway is a road with 1, 2 or more lanes arranged within a single carriageway with no central reservation to separate opposing flows of traffic. Two-lane road or two-lane highway are single carriageway with one lane for each direction...
and dual carriageway
Dual carriageway
A dual carriageway is a class of highway with two carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation...
sections and forms a large part of the route between Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
and Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
. The part of the route between the M6 motorway
M6 motorway
The M6 motorway runs from junction 19 of the M1 at the Catthorpe Interchange, near Rugby via Birmingham then heads north, passing Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and terminating at the Gretna junction . Here, just short of the Scottish border it becomes the A74 which continues to...
junction 19 and the M56 motorway
M56 motorway
The M56 Motorway, also known as the North Cheshire motorway, is in Cheshire and Greater Manchester, England. It runs from Junction 4 of the M60 to Dunkirk, Cheshire and is in length. It is often busy with long-distance commuter traffic towards North Wales...
junction 7 is a major route into Manchester and has been considered for upgrade to Motorway status
and was to be known as the A556(M).
The road is frequently very congested, carrying approximately 50,000 vehicles per day, and has a high accident record; between 1998 and 2005, there were around 200 accidents, resulting in 5 fatalities and 39 people being seriously injured.
Route Description
The route begins in the South of Manchester at junction 7 of the M56. It then runs in a Southwesterly direction towards Chester, finishing near Delamere.At its northern limit, the road ends at a large roundabout with the A56
A56 road
The A56 is a road in England which extends between the city of Chester in Cheshire and the village of Broughton in North Yorkshire. The road contains a mixture of single and dual carriageway sections, and traverses environments as diverse as the dense urban sprawl of inner city Manchester and the...
. The A56 continues towards central Manchester via Altrincham
Altrincham
Altrincham is a market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on flat ground south of the River Mersey about southwest of Manchester city centre, south-southwest of Sale and east of Warrington...
. The A556 provides a spur to the M56 at Junction 7. The A556 runs south west as a dual carriageway before changing to a single carriageway with four lanes (that is no physical separation between the traffic flows) and leads to traffic lights at the junction with the A5034 at Bucklow Hill. The route then crosses the A50
A50 road
The A50 is a major trunk road in England. It runs from Warrington to Leicester; however, it was once a much longer route.-Current route:...
at Mere
Mere, Cheshire
Mere is a civil parish and linear village along the A556 road in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, North West England, about south-west of Altrincham. Bucklow Hill is at its northeast end, and the Mere crossroads is at the far end. The village of Mere is...
near the Mere Golf and Country Club before continuing to a roundabout at Junction 19 of the M6.
The four-laned single carriageway continues in a south westerly direction to another set of traffic lights. A left (easterly) turn here joins the A5033 towards Knutsford
Knutsford
Knutsford is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, in North West England...
. The road continues curving more towards a westerly direction and undulates on its way towards Northwich
Northwich
Northwich is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It lies in the heart of the Cheshire Plain, at the confluence of the rivers Weaver and Dane...
with only minor junctions until traffic lights for the junction with Plumley Moor Road (leading towards Plumley
Plumley
Plumley is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England.In the village there are two public houses, The Golden Pheasant and The Smoker , a village hall, a Methodist church, tennis courts, riding stables, a post office and a golf...
) by The Smoker pub.
Lostock Gralam
Lostock Gralam is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England, situated to the east of Northwich. The civil parish of Lostock Gralam also includes the small hamlet of Lostock Green...
the road becomes dual carriageway
Dual carriageway
A dual carriageway is a class of highway with two carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation...
again (it gains a central reservation) and turns south to bypass the town of Northwich
Northwich
Northwich is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It lies in the heart of the Cheshire Plain, at the confluence of the rivers Weaver and Dane...
. As the road skirts the south of Northwich, there is a roundabout with the A530
A530 road
The A530 road is a road linking the A525 east of Whitchurch, Shropshire, England with the A559 east of Northwich, in Cheshire. The road follows the route:*A525*Nantwich*Crewe*Middlewich*A559...
(south towards Middlewich
Middlewich
Middlewich is a market town in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It is east of the city of Chester, east of Winsford, southeast of Northwich and northwest of Sandbach....
); traffic lights for the Gadbrook Park industrial estate and another roundabout (the 'Davenham
Davenham
Davenham is a rural village and civil parish approximately south of the town of Northwich, part of the Borough of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire in England. It has a population of 5,655. The village is close to the A556 and A533 roads and both the River Dane and...
' roundabout) for the A533. The road then crosses the River Weaver
River Weaver
The River Weaver is a river, navigable in its lower reaches, running in a curving route anti-clockwise across west Cheshire, northern England. Improvements to the river to make it navigable were authorised in 1720 and the work, which included eleven locks, was completed in 1732...
by an iron bridge, Hartford Bridge
Hartford Bridge, Cheshire
The Hartford Bridge, or Blue Bridge, is a single-span road bridge crossing the River Weaver at Hartford, Cheshire in England. The bridge is located on the A556 as part of the Northwich bypass....
, known locally as the Blue Bridge, before heading in a westerly direction to the village of Sandiway
Sandiway
Sandiway is a village in the civil parish of Cuddington, Cheshire, England. It lies to the east of and is contiguous with the village of Cuddington....
near Cuddington
Cuddington, Vale Royal
Cuddington is a civil parish and rural village in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England, about six miles west of Northwich and fourteen miles east of Chester....
.
The road through the village is limited to 40 miles per hour (17.9 m/s) and has traffic light junctions with Dalefords Lane/School Lane and the A49
A49 road
The A49 is a major road in western England, which traverses the Welsh Marches region. It runs north from Ross-on-Wye in Herefordshire via Hereford, Leominster, Ludlow, Shrewsbury and Whitchurch, then continues through central Cheshire to Warrington and Wigan before terminating at its junction with...
. Through Sandiway the road also becomes a two lane carriageway and continues as such to its end. As the road enters Sandiway, the Round Tower Lodge can be seen stranded in the central reservation of the road.
After the A49 junction the road road becomes delimited and turns to a south westerly route past Oakmere
Oakmere
Oakmere is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England.Oakmere is situated on the A556 road, approximately west of Frodsham...
and into a 50 miles per hour (22.4 m/s) limit for the junction with the B5152 that leads north to Delamere
Delamere, Cheshire
thumb|right|200px|Map of civil parish of Delamere within the former borough of Vale RoyalDelamere is a civil parish and village in Cheshire. It is situated approximately 7 miles to the west of Northwich, within the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester.The village is well-known for the...
and Delamere Forest
Delamere Forest
Delamere Forest or Delamere Forest Park is a wood in the Cheshire West and Chester area of Cheshire, England, near the town of Frodsham. It includes of mixed deciduous and evergreen woodland, centred at around , making it the largest area of woodland in Cheshire...
. The road rises up to finish at a junction with the A54
A54 road
The A54 road is a road linking Chester in Cheshire, England with Buxton in Derbyshire. The road follows the route:*Chester*Winsford*Middlewich*Holmes Chapel*Congleton*Buxton...
that continues towards Kelsall
Kelsall
Kelsall is a medium-sized agricultural/commuter village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It is located around east of Chester, west of Northwich and north west of Tarporley...
and Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
. This junction does not obviously mark the end of the A556 since traffic on the A556 has right of way and traffic on the A54 has to give way to join.
Proposed Improvement
There are proposals under the Highways AgencyHighways Agency
The Highways Agency is an executive agency, part of the Department for Transport in England. It has responsibility for managing the core road network in England...
's Route Management Strategy (RMS) to gradual upgrading to dual carriageway
Dual carriageway
A dual carriageway is a class of highway with two carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation...
standard with a 50 mph speed limit, rather than a full upgrade to motorway.
The section of the A556 between the M6 and M56 is a main route into Manchester. In March 2010, the proposed plan was to divert the A556 along this section to avoid Mere and Bucklow Hill at a budgetary cost of £107 million.