The link road, which opened in 2018, is now notorious for flooding
The A555 pictured last night shortly before it was closed(Image: Jonathan Dittman)
The A555 Manchester Airport Relief Road remains closed this morning after it was shut due to flooding.
The link road, a major route serving Manchester Airport and a junction onto the M56, was first closed off at around 5pm yesterday (Tuesday, November 18) as heavy rain hit the area and caused flooding on the carriageway.
In a post on social media at around 5.30pm, Stockport Council said: “The A555 has been closed and will remain closed overnight, Tuesday.
“We believe that damage caused by Storm Claudia, including tree fall, has resulted in a water channel being diverted, causing the road to flood.
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“We’re looking into this, and we will provide a further update tomorrow, Wednesday.”
As of 8.30am this morning (Wednesday), the road remains closed in both directions from Woodford to the A34 Handforth Bypass.
A further update has not yet been provided this morning on when the road is due to be reopened.
Last night, drivers reported ‘chaos’ on roads nearby due to the diversions around the Airport Relief Road.
There were significant delays across Poynton, Heald Green and Handforth Dean tonight, as well as long delays on the M56.
“My mum was cut off by Handforth Dean and still isn’t home. She left Poynton an hour and 35 mins ago to head to Heald Green! It’s chaos everywhere,” one woman said.
Another motorist commented on social media: “Chaos all around Wilmslow also people diverting.”
The closure comes just days after Storm Claudia wreaked havoc on the region and caused the A-road to be closed between Bramhall Oil Terminal and the A34 at Handforth on Saturday.
Flooding on the A555 Airport Relief Road in Handforth following Storm Claudia(Image: Ryan Jenkinson | Manchester Evening News)
Coun Peter Crossen said in a statement last night: “SMBC have been investigating why the road flooded on Friday as this was unexpected with the amount of rain that fell.
“Initial investigations, including drone footage, suggest that debris and at least one tree have fallen and are acting to divert water away from a water channel and down onto the road. The council investigators suspect that these fell during Friday’s storm.
“Unfortunately, today’s rain has left the drains and pumps unable to cope and the road is flooded. With the forecast for more rain tonight, a prudent decision has been taken to close the road overnight.
“Officers will review the situation again tomorrow daylight with a view to establishing how we can remove the tree and debris.”
The road – which opened in 2018 – is now notorious for flooding and has been blighted by closures.
In January, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) wrote to two councils calling for urgent action, saying: “It’s hard not to feel that what’s become an annual occurrence here in Greater Manchester would be tolerated in the South East.”
FSB boss Robert Downes said: “Imagine that was Heathrow or Gatwick? It would have been put right years ago.”
A Stockport Council spokesperson said at the time that they ‘understand and share the frustrations’ over the road, and that bosses were ‘continuing to work with partners at a regional and national level to explore improvements that reduce the impact of extreme weather across Stockport’.