{"id":296796,"date":"2025-07-27T20:59:15","date_gmt":"2025-07-27T20:59:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/296796\/"},"modified":"2025-07-27T20:59:15","modified_gmt":"2025-07-27T20:59:15","slug":"we-waited-60-years-for-this-bypass-now-its-finally-here-and-im-disappointed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/296796\/","title":{"rendered":"‘We waited 60 years for this bypass, now it\u2019s finally here and I’m disappointed’"},"content":{"rendered":"

“All the work going on is a waste of time and money. If they\u2019re going to do it they may as well include Hollingworth – it\u2019s disappointing.”\"SignSign in Hollingworth giving options for Sheffield and Manchester(Image: LDRS)<\/p>\n

Work on a huge \u00a3228m bypass scheme started two months ago to tackle severe traffic problems, but the village right next to it won\u2019t reap the rewards.<\/p>\n

Hollingworth is the last stop before Derbyshire – and villagers there feel forgotten and cut off from the rest of Greater Manchester. Locals can see from their windows the work going on to build the new A57 Link Roads scheme, more commonly known as the Mottram bypass, but it won\u2019t stop hundreds of HGVs trundling past their homes every day.<\/p>\n

The clue is in the unofficial name of the project: Mottram Bypass – not Hollingworth Bypass.<\/p>\n

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Politicians and National Highways hailed the scheme as transformational for travel in the north by reducing congestion and improving journeys between Manchester and Sheffield. The A57 Link Roads project includes the creation of two new link roads.<\/p>\n

The first is Mottram Moor Link Road \u2013 a new dual carriageway from the M67 junction 4 roundabout to a new junction on the A57 at Mottram Moor. The other is the A57 Link Road \u2013 a new single carriageway link from the A57 at Mottram Moor to a new junction on the A57 in Woolley Bridge.<\/p>\n

The major plan is designed to relieve congestion on the A57(Image: National Highways)<\/p>\n

The new junction at Mottram Moor is thought to be the only thing that could ease traffic on the A628 leading to Woodhead Pass, but that\u2019s it. For the people of Hollingworth, it\u2019s disappointing.<\/p>\n

Sat at the bus stop after a spot of shopping in Ashton<\/a> is John Roberts, who has lived in the Tameside<\/a> village since the 1980s. He\u2019s been waiting for the bypass to happen ever since, but now it\u2019s arrived he\u2019s been left feeling forgotten – an all too familiar feeling in this village.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen it first came about I signed a petition for the bypass because it sounded really good,\u201d the 78-year-old told the Manchester Evening News<\/a>. \u201cThis first phase doesn\u2019t help Hollingworth, Tintwistle or Hadfield.<\/p>\n

\"JohnJohn Roberts, who has lived in Hollingworth since the 1980s(Image: LDRS)<\/p>\n

\u201cLast week the M62<\/a> closed so all the traffic was coming through Woodhead. It took 55 minutes to get from Tintwistle to the Gun Inn pub (just over one mile). That showcases the problem we have.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll the work going on is a waste of time and money. If they\u2019re going to do it they may as well include Hollingworth – it\u2019s disappointing.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I had to score the bypass out of 10, it would be 0. I\u2019m hoping something will happen for Hollingworth before I pop my clogs.\u201d<\/p>\n

The issue for many in Hollingsworth is that previous versions of the scheme – not the latest one that has been approved – have included bypassing the village. There is still hope amongst locals that they could be connected to the scheme at a later stage.<\/p>\n

Tom Weatherall worries this could make things worse, particularly whilst construction is going on. He can\u2019t see many ways in which the bypass could alter the traffic problem in his village.<\/p>\n

The bypass would help ease congestion on the busy route between Manchester and Sheffield(Image: National Highways)<\/p>\n

The 42-year-old said: \u201cIt won\u2019t help here because there are two bottle necks. It needs a second part for us.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got lorries going through here to Woodhead which isn\u2019t ideal. You can see how many are going past right now.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s positive for Mottram but maybe not for us. We will see if it can ease things for us at all – it will be a case of the proof being in the pudding.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe thing is, the bypass goes through Glossop but lorries can\u2019t go over the Snake Pass anyway. How that crossroads will ease things for us I\u2019m not sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

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He went on to tell the M.E.N<\/a> that this work bringing in more construction vehicles and heavier traffic could mean Hollingworth becoming \u2018even more cut off than it already is\u2019.<\/p>\n

With poor public transport connections already, it\u2019s a tough reality to swallow.<\/p>\n

That feeling of belonging to Greater Manchester isn\u2019t present either. Tom said it only takes 45 minutes to get to Sheffield by car, whereas it can take well over an hour to get to Manchester.<\/p>\n

\"HollingworthHollingworth village, Tameside(Image: LDRS)<\/p>\n

Walking through the village from Hollingworth Conservative Club down to the Gun Inn, more than 10 HGVs drive by in both directions – not something you\u2019d normally expect for a country village surrounded by greenery. If you walk 10 minutes in any direction from Hollingworth you would find yourself in woodlands, grassy patches or crossing a stream.<\/p>\n

Walk a bit further and you may find yourself in Derbyshire or the Peak District. Despite the rural setting the days of this being a quaint farmers village are long gone.<\/p>\n

Maureen Hobson and Nadine Mitcherson are chatting outside One Stop after picking up some food. They have both lived in Hollingworth for decades, and they say the traffic problem has changed their beloved area beyond recognition.<\/p>\n

\"MaureenMaureen Hobson (right) and Nadine Mitcherson stood in Hollingworth village centre(Image: LDRS)<\/p>\n

\u201cI was absolutely devastated when we weren\u2019t included,\u201d Maureen explained. \u201cBut you just come to realise that we get forgotten about here, we\u2019re out on a limb.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe main issue though is the wagons. I think if we had a weight restriction to stop them coming over that would make a huge difference and you wouldn\u2019t need to spend all the money.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe village is unrecognisable now. It\u2019s because of the traffic.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow Hollingworth is just a check point between Manchester and Sheffield. It\u2019s very, very sad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"MaureenMaureen Hobson, 82, from Hollingworth(Image: LDRS)<\/p>\n

The 82-year-old also has concerns about the level of pollution produced by the traffic and the impact it could have on the school children. Both Longdendale<\/a> High School and Hollingworth Primary School sit off the A628.<\/p>\n

Maureen and Nadine both agreed going out in the car at peak times and school pick up time is \u2018pointless\u2019 and \u2018just silly\u2019.<\/p>\n

Nadine\u2019s family has a large plot of land in the area, which was almost subject to a compulsory purchase order until a change of plan. She has always been against the bypass plans.<\/p>\n

The 78-year-old added: \u201cIt\u2019s a waste of time on that road. Whoever dreamt that up was someone sat in an office with a big map and hadn\u2019t been here.<\/p>\n

\"NadineNadine Mitcherson, 78, who has lived in Hollingworth all her life(Image: LDRS)<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got seven acres of land and they were going to take a bit of that originally. It went to the point where they told me they altered the route due to the number of homes that had to come down.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were loads of newcomers in this village that got fed up, sold up, and now they\u2019ve gone. People come for a quiet village life, but then sell up and move.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s happening again because of this new spur road. In the last 12 months the houses that have gone, it\u2019s unbelievable.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was all falling on deaf ears, no one listened to the campaign groups trying to stop it happening.<\/p>\n

\"TrafficTraffic queuing at the Woolley Lane junction in Hollingworth(Image: LDRS)<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve ruined everything around here. I never remember the lorries coming through.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve taken all the agricultural land away. You have to walk miles to see sheep and cows now – it\u2019s ridiculous.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve lived 78 years in this village. I said to my husband Joe, if he hadn\u2019t been ill, I would\u2019ve moved because I\u2019ve had it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jonathan Reynolds and Jon Pearce, the MPs for Stalybridge<\/a> & Hyde<\/a> and High Peak respectively, have both previously voiced their support to campaigns to bring better road networks to the surrounding villages as well. Currently there are no plans other than the A57 link roads scheme.<\/p>\n

Mr Reynolds said: “I\u2019ve been fighting for a full solution to the traffic in Longdendale for over 20 years now. Whilst the current scheme is smaller than the one proposed in the past the key thing is it\u2019s happening, and there\u2019s no solution in Longdendale without first sorting out the M67 roundabout and the Mottram crossroads.<\/p>\n

“What I want next is not just Hollingworth but also Glossop to be relieved as well. I\u2019ve been asking people in Hollingworth what they want to see happen next and would welcome any constituent dropping me a line to share their thoughts.”<\/p>\n

A spokesperson for National Highways said: \u201cThe A57 Link Roads scheme will deliver wide benefits to local communities. Residents and commuters traveling between Tintwistle, Hollingworth, and the M67 will enjoy faster, smoother journeys thanks to the new dual carriageway sections.<\/p>\n

“Additionally, access to and from Glossop will be greatly enhanced. We are committed to continually exploring how we can make improvements to our network.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"“All the work going on is a waste of time and money. If they\u2019re going to do it…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":296797,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8813],"tags":[23942,109993,748,393,4884,109994,10585,2465,54149,1026,1263,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-296796","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-manchester","8":"tag-a57","9":"tag-a57m","10":"tag-britain","11":"tag-england","12":"tag-great-britain","13":"tag-hollingworth","14":"tag-hyde-and-longdendale","15":"tag-manchester","16":"tag-mottram","17":"tag-tameside","18":"tag-transport","19":"tag-uk","20":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114927211451107301","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/296796","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=296796"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/296796\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/296797"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=296796"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=296796"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=296796"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}