Browse Sections
Interactive
Popular Sections
Partly cloudyBarlow's brief
| 
Submit Comments
How helpful will the bypass be economically for Alderley Edge?
Hidden costs of the Edge bypass
Vic Barlow13/ 8/2008
STOP the press: the Great Alderley Edge Bypass is on again…I think. Over the past 30 years the bypass scheme has been underground, over ground and wombling free longer than Uncle Bulgaria.
I know Alderley is permanently log jammed but I’m not convinced there’s ever been a serious effort to improve traffic flow.
The current on-street parking arrangements seem crazy for a village with such an obvious problem.
I know I’m going to sound like a curmudgeon but having witnessed what’s happened to Macclesfield town centre since it was ‘bypassed’ I’m more than a little nervous.
The Alderley plan is to take 26,000 cars a day away from the centre of the village, which sounds great but how many of those cars have passengers with needs to fulfil and money to spend?
I’m not underestimating residents’ frustration at the tedious task of winding their way through the village every day, I’m just pointing out the pitfalls having seen the decline of Macclesfield post bypass.
Once those 182,000 cars a week are diverted, Alderley traders are going to need an awful lot of replacement income. I’m sure there will be new customers attracted to the quieter village but will there be enough of them to fill the gap?
Macclesfield town centre now has more vacant shops than at any time in its history.
It’s not all down to the bypass but that was certainly the start of the decline. Macclesfield is no longer en route to anywhere, customers have to drive into town for a specific purpose; there’s very little impulse spending. Of course it has improved traffic flow around the town but at what cost to local trade?
It’s certainly been a benefit to travellers but I see very little advantage to struggling town centre retailers who claim footfall is at an all-time low. Big towns with commanding shopping centres can still attract an audience and a bypass may even encourage additional visitors but Macclesfield has no such centre…nor does Alderley.
I hope my fears are unfounded and Alderley continues to thrive. I’m just concerned the long protracted fight for a bypass has blinded everyone to the pitfalls.
Whoever said: "Be careful what you wish for lest it come true," may have been thinking of Alderley.
The views expressed on this page are Vic Barlow's and not necessarily those of the Express
Most recent 1 of 1 user comments
Got an opinion you want to share?| Card | BT Fee |
| Virgin Credit Card | 2.98% |
| Capital One Low Rate Balance Transfer | 1.7% |
| Capital One Low Rate Platinum | HASH(0x2b6020637a30) |
| Capital One Fixed Rate Card | 0.0% |
| Company | Typical APR |
| Platinum Exclusive Loan | 7.8% |
| Halifax (Semi-exclusive) | 8.6% |
| Bank of Scotland (Semi-exclusive) | 8.6% |
| Alliance & Leicester | 8.7% |
| Lloyds TSB | 8.9% |
| Provider | AER* |
|
ICICI BANK HiSAVE Savings Account |
5.50% |
|
PRINCIPALITY BS e-SAVER |
5.35% |
|
ANGLO IRISH BANK Easy Access Account Issue 2 |
5.25% |
|
FIRST DIRECT Everyday e-Saver |
2.75% |
|
ALLIANCE & LEICESTER Online Tracker |
4.75% |
|
BRADFORD & BINGLEY eSavings 6 |
4.60% |
|
SAINSBURYS FINANCE Internet Saver |
4.00% |
|
ALLIANCE & LEICESTER eSaver - Issue 2 |
5.00% |
|
POST OFFICE Instant Saver |
3.75% |
But quite how getting gridlocked in the traffic in Alderley encourages impulse spending is lost on me. And in anycase if there is impulse spending surely they would already have stopped off in the village already?
I'm just pleased Vic teaches dogs and not town planning or marketing or sales to anyone.
13/08/2008 at 11:50