Is the £290m Manchester Airport bypass a road to nowhere?

After decades of planning, the £290m Manchester Airport bypass is shrouded in mystery and doubt.

And that was before the collapse of construction giant Carillion - one of two contractors tasked with completing the 6.2-mile dual carriageway from the A6 in Hazel Grove to the M56. The terms of the contract mean the other partner, Morgan Sindall, will take over the Carillion’s commitments. It’s unclear if this latest twist will add further delays to the road opening beyond the already predicted six months.

Even before the Carillion collapse, Stockport council had said the bypass’s predicted opening of spring 2018, revised from Autumn 2017, will ‘more or less’ happen and ‘no final date’ had been set. It seems the project has been dogged with bad luck - from errant golf balls endangering cars, too many complaints of workmen disturbing residents’ sleep. The three councils involved - Stockport, Manchester and Cheshire East - insist it will all be worthwhile.