The road is one of two direct routes between two of the largest cities in the north
Snake Pass can be blanketed in snow every winter(Image: PA)
Millions will be spent on improving Snake Pass, the Peak District road which connects Manchester to Sheffield.
Snake Pass and Woodhead Pass — the only two direct routes between two of the largest cities in the north — are frequently closed during wintertime due to adverse weather.
Poor conditions also require extensive maintenance, often closing for weeks at a time. When Snake Pass is open, it’s frequently named as one of Britain’s most dangerous roads.
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The injection of government cash was confirmed by East Midlands mayor Claire Ward, speaking at the launch of the ‘Peaks Partnership’ in Buxton on Tuesday (August 19).
“We’ve made some progress with the government agreeing to provide an additional £7.6 million to support the work around Snake Pass, which is that great connection between the two cities and Manchester and Sheffield,” said Ms Ward.
“What we are doing is showing an organisational commitment to working together, recognising the economic benefits that will come from doing so.”
The partnership is a new forum for Ms Ward to collaborate with South Yorkshire counterpart Oliver Coppard and Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham on how to improve transport across the Peak District.
Mr Burnham said he ‘very much values’ Peak District residents’ contribution ‘to the Greater Manchester economy and public services in Greater Manchester’.
“We owe it to them to make their travel to work better,” he said.
The Peaks are set to see the Bee Network arrive under already-announced plans to run Bee Network trains to Glossop from next year and Buxton from 2026.
Even closer integration between High Peak, the northernmost area of Derbyshire, and Greater Manchester has been floated by the area’s MP, Jon Pearce, previously.
He suggested High Peak should have merged with Tameside or Stockport council to come under Mr Burnham’s remit at the end of last year.
However, Mr Pearce now says he doesn’t want such a merger.
“If I’m honest, this Peaks Partnership is the best possible outcome that we could have had,” he told journalists. “Having those conversations about where we access services, about where our travel-to-work areas are, about the role we can play in growth in the north in terms of connecting two core cities of Sheffield and Manchester… was what I was talking about.”
Mr Pearce did add he ‘absolutely did not’ regret raising the issues: “Unless you rattle a few cages, you don’t get any response.”