National Highways’ initial evaluation of a new road in Cheshire and Greater Manchester has found that modelling used to support the business case did not accurately forecast the traffic volumes which would exist in the absence of the project.

The £192m project provided a dual carriageway on a new alignment for the A556 over four miles between Knutsford and Bowdon. The road connects the M6 to the M56. The previous single carriageway road passed through villages and was heavily congested at times. Long-distance traffic contended with a crossroads on the route.