We support walking, wheeling and cycling as part of a fully integrated, sustainable transport network – one that enables people to travel seamlessly without relying on cars. However, the proposed Carrington Relief Road risks doing the opposite. This is our response to the planning application which sets out our concerns.
TfGM Transport Strategy 2040
Under the Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) Transport Strategy 2040, the “Right Mix” vision commits Greater Manchester to ensuring 50% of all journeys are made by sustainable modes by 2040, with no net increase in motor vehicle traffic. The construction of this new road conflicts with that ambition and could significantly compromise the region’s ability to meet it.
Poor public transport, rising car dependency
Partington, Warburton and Carrington are among the worst-served areas in Greater Manchester for public transport, with infrequent bus services as the only realistic option. Accessibility scores (GMAL) are extremely low. Yet the largest development in the Places for Everyone Plan proposes 5,000 new homes and 350,000 sqm of industrial and logistics space, without firm commitments to improve public transport.
While segregated cycle lanes are proposed along the new road, there is no clarity on how they would connect into the Bee Network. Without safe, continuous links, active travel infrastructure risks being tokenistic rather than transformative.
Conflict with TfGM and Trafford policies
The scheme fails to meet multiple TfGM Transport Strategy 2040 policies, including:
- Policy 4: ensuring new developments are accessible by sustainable modes and reducing transport emissions and impacts on the highway network.
- Policy 7: improving access to jobs, education and services in deprived communities by providing better public transport options and commitment to invest in public transport infrastructure
- Policies 8 & 10: improving health outcomes and reducing transport carbon emissions
This application does not comply with policies in Trafford’s Core Strategy 2012 which sets out the ambition to deliver significant improvements to public transport infrastructure by improving access to Partington, the Regional Centre and Altrincham.
Nor does it comply with their Unitary Development Plan 2006 which put forward several proposals to improve public transport connectivity in the Partington and Carrington Priority Regeneration Area. Their Places for Everyone Plan, which was adopted in 2024, also commits to improving public transport for Carrington.
There has been no delivery of public transport infrastructure to support the development of New Carington to ensure it is well-connected to the rest of Greater Manchester.
Bucklow-St Martins ward (covering Partington and Carrington) is the most deprived ward in Trafford, with over 40% of households in some areas not owning a car. A car-dependent development in this context risks worsening inequality, social isolation and health outcomes.
The road is also expected to draw traffic off the motorway network and onto local roads, increasing air pollution and undermining Greater Manchester’s net-zero target for 2038.
Ignored alternatives and public opposition
Long-standing policy proposals, such as reopening disused rail lines, restoring rail access to Partington, improving water freight via the Manchester Ship Canal, and enhancing links to Metrolink, have not been delivered or meaningfully reconsidered.
Public opposition is also clear. A January 2025 consultation found:
- 77% of respondents opposed the road
- 62% opposed the proposed active travel measures, citing poor connectivity
A required masterplan developed with the local community has not yet been produced.
A better way forward
Rather than building a new relief road, alternatives include upgrading the existing A1/A6144 corridor, introducing traffic calming, reallocating road space for buses and active travel, and properly integrating cycling routes with rail stations and the Bee Network. Crucially, investment in rail, tram and water-based freight options should be revisited to support both residents and industry.
Conclusion
The Carrington Relief Road, as proposed, conflicts with local and regional transport policies, entrenches car dependency, and undermines Greater Manchester’s climate and active travel goals. A genuinely integrated, vision-led approach, focused on public transport and active travel, offers a far more sustainable future for these communities.
You can also read our longer response to the proposal.