PLANS for a link road bridge crossing the railways near Crewe Station are set to be shelved because of the impact of the pandemic.

The Southern Link Road Bridge, which was to be a new highway crossing between Gresty Road and Weston Road, to the south of the station, is among the cutbacks Cheshire East Council has revealed it has had to make in its plans for Crewe's HS2 hub.

The council says it needs to adapt to the impact of changing work patterns with more people now working from home as well as a shift in government funding opportunities.

Councillors are being asked to "refresh" the authority's HS2 work programme by withdrawing the Crewe Hub Area Action Plan, which set out long-term plans for development in the area, including housing and roads.

Next Thursday's (November 4) corporate policy committee will also be asked to revoke the preferred route of the Southern Link Road Bridge, which was proposed as a solution to easing traffic congestion on Nantwich Road

After a consultation exercise in 2019 the council agreed a route to build the bridge from Gresty Road, north of the St Clair Street junction, across to Weston Road on the east, near to Cowley Way.

The bridge would have risen over the lower part of Crewe Alexandra's car park on Gresty Road and would have included a footpath and cycleway, along with associated junction improvements.

But a report to the committee reveals planners accept the economic growth associated with HS2 will take longer to realise and that the bridge will not be able to attract government funding.

It states: "The plans for central Crewe need to respond to the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic and how this is changing working patterns and travel behaviours.

"The Southern Link Road Bridge was a proposal linked to the full HS2 delivery package of Phase 2a and Phase 2b and was based on a pre-pandemic commercial development assumption as well as government funding linked to large local major transport projects.

"The new focus in government investment priorities, including the levelling-up fund, has meant that there is currently no funding available that could support it."

While the bridge link will not be progressed for now it is set to become part of a wider plan for transport and projects for central Crewe which would identify longer-term goals.

"Should funding priorities and market conditions change in the future, a scheme, such as the Crewe Southern Link Road Bridge, could then be brought forward," the report adds.

At the time it was first mooted the link road bridge received a mixed response with some claiming it would shift congestion problems elsewhere and trigger 'rat runs'.

On social media, Crewe South councillor Steve Hogben said: "As Crewe South ward councillors, Laura Smith and I welcome the fact that the bridge scheme is being revoked. In our opinion - and that of our late colleague Dorothy Flude - this was always an ill-conceived vanity scheme.

"There are other ways to ease traffic congestion nearby."

Cheshire East says modifying their plans will enable its HS2 programme "maximise the significant regeneration and investment opportunities now available".

Jayne Traverse, the council's executive director – place, said: "Elements of our plans are likely to take longer to realise and the planning policy and infrastructure plans developed pre-pandemic need to be reviewed to reflect this and establish the best way forward for Crewe.

"It is also important to note that many projects are being developed for Crewe on the back of the success of both the town's Future High Streets Fund and Towns Fund bids."

She added: "We remain committed to working collaboratively with all our partners to secure the maximum potential economic benefits on the back of the HS2 programme for Crewe.

"To capture those benefits, it is hugely important that our plans and strategies can capitalise on new funding and investment opportunities, and that they reflect the current landscape.

"It makes sense to refresh the plans for central Crewe to ensure that we can align them to the opportunities both now and when HS2 arrives."

The council chief stresses the planned improvements around Crewe Station on Nantwich Road and Weston Road will "be progressed with our strategic partners to secure the necessary funding and are not affected by the plan refresh".

Phase 2a of HS2 (from the West Midlands to Crewe) was granted Royal Assent in February this year.