THE preferred route for a planned relief road in Carrington has been approved by Trafford Council.

Route F, chosen out of six options, uses the entire length of the existing A1 route through an industrial estate until Isherwood Road junction, before going across Carrington Moss, avoiding pylons and joining Carrington Spur to the east.

Introducing the chosen route at an executive meeting last night, Cllr James Wright, executive member for housing, said: “For many years we’ve discussed infrastructure improvements to this part of the borough to finally provide infrastructure that is fit for purpose. Progressing this road has been part of council policy since 2012.

“Leadership is about making decisions that you believe are in the best interest of the residents of Trafford – this relief road is vital for unlocking desperately needed new homes of all types: social rent, affordable rent, shared ownership, private rent and owner occupied.”

The average house price in Trafford is eight times over the average salary earned in the borough.

Cllr Wright added: “We’re creating opportunities for people who live locally, giving them better access to jobs and improving transport infrastructure to get to and from work.

“Residents are sitting in horrendous congestion for hours on end every single day. The public transport is appalling, expensive and unreliable. This area has one of lowest life expectancy rates in the whole of Greater Manchester and one of the highest unemployment rates.”

Cllr Wright explained the decision at the executive meeting last night was not to decide whether or not the relief road should be built, but to decide the preferred route and grant permission for a planning application process to begin for the road itself.

Following criticism of the consultation process surrounding the road from residents, Cllr Wright tried to reassure them that there are ‘no foregone conclusions’.

Peat has also been found on Carrington Moss that the preferred route will go through and the area is home to a number of red-listed species of birds, newts and small mammals.

This makes the area a valuable carbon sink and environmental asset – something campaigners have been concerned about losing.

Cllr Wright said: “We are balancing new development and the creation of new jobs with our environmental commitments. The link road is part of a wider range of measures.”

In favour of the relief road, Cllr Jane Slater shared a heartbreaking personal story.

She said: “My 72-year-old brother used to work in Partington in the 60s, he said the relief road was needed in those days.

“But in 2005, my mum who used to live in Partington had a massive haemorrhage. The traffic from Partington to Trafford General Hospital was so bad that by the time the ambulance got to Trafford General, they said that it was too late for my mum.

“She was 80 years old and a very active woman. She’d looked after seven kids, getting things ready for my disabled sister. Mum would have been taken to Salford but because of delay with the ambulance she was taken to Trafford General and my mum never woke up. So I massively support that relief road.

“It’s been needed since the 1960s. Partington has been cut off for a very long time.”

Cllr Mike Freeman added: “The road is absolutely vital – we owe it to the residents of this area. We need to give residents in this area the same employment opportunities as other areas of the borough.

“Residents want improved transport links, they feel cut off. This has got to be addressed. The only option that will better address the issues of this area is option F – it’s about convincing residents that we are on their side in ensuring that they share in same opportunities enjoyed by other residents in other areas of borough.”

Cllr Liz Patel echoed the comments of other executive members and said the relief road was ‘decades overdue’.

Cllr Adele New described the traffic situation in Carrington that the relief road aims to ease as ‘untenable’, with any roadworks in the area causing ‘absolute carnage’ – particularly last winter when traffic was brought to a standstill for hours; a situation Cllr New said ‘cannot be allowed to happen again’.

Cllr Geraldine Coggins of the Green Party called for the decision to be paused until more information had been collecting concerning the environmental impact of the road.

And Cllr Nathan Evans of the Conservative Party called for reassurance that money being given to the council for investigation works in preparation for the road would not have to be repaid if the project was abandoned further down the line for whatever reason.

Cllr Wright reiterated that the decision at executive was not on the future of the road itself, but on the preferred route and that the funding would not need to be repaid in the event of abandoning the project.

Following a vote, Route F was approved as the preferred route by Trafford Council’s executive unanimously.

A planning application for the relief road will now be prepared and submitted to the council’s planning department.