Bus Pinch Points: Dialstone Lane Proposed Highway Improvements

Overview

We have drafted highways proposals for Dialstone Lane between Buxton Road (A6) and no. 245 Dialstone Lane (north of Dial Park Road) which aim to support sustainable travel choices and improve safety whilst maintaining and managing the performance of our existing transport network.

This proposed scheme would be paid for by Greater Manchester’s City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) and Transforming Cities Funding. These are national investment funds to improve local transport networks, access for local businesses and organisations, and to help residents get to amenities in their communities.  This element of the fund is allocated to the TfGM led ‘Bus Pinch Point’ schemes. These are schemes that aim to reduce bus travel time at known points of congestion and improve safety for bus users.

The scheme for Dialstone Lane includes widening of the Dialstone Lane arm of the A6/Dialstone Lane/Poplar Grove junction to provide a dedicated right turn lane from Dialstone Lane into the A6, amendments to the layout to provide two traffic lanes approaching the signals from the Cruttenden Road junction, upgrades to bus stops, pedestrian improvements to improve access to bus stops, side road junction build-outs to improve crossing points and new parking restrictions to reduce congestion caused by parked vehicles. These changes will make the junction operate more efficiently for traffic, improve pedestrian access to bus stops and also formalise and protect parking for residents who don’t have driveways to park on. 

In more detail the proposals include:

• Amendment to the Dialstone Lane arm of the A6 Buxton Road/Dialstone Lane/Poplar Grove junction to provide an extended left turn lane and introduce a separate right turn lane.  This should increase capacity and reduce the likelihood of right turning queuing traffic blocking traffic going straight ahead to the Hospital. To achieve this the existing footway will be converted to carriageway and part of the existing verge to footway. This may require the removal of one tree. This will be replaced with three trees elsewhere in the grass verge.
• Northbound bus stop on Dialstone Lane to be upgraded with a raised kerb and shelter provided.
• Convert the access to 495 Buxton Road to a vehicle drop crossing to provide pedestrian priority.
•  Hatching on the eastern side of Dialstone Lane, adjacent to No’s 289-293 to be removed and replaced with a parking bay. The existing ‘No Waiting at Any Time’ restrictions outside No. 297 Dialstone Lane are proposed to be extended up to the proposed parking bays to allow two vehicles to use the adjacent traffic lanes simultaneously.
• Bus stop build out with raised kerbs to be provided at the existing bus stop located adjacent to No. 287 Dialstone Lane to provide level access to the waiting bus for those boarding and alighting without the need to step down into the carriageway and to improve safety for bus users.
• Footway buildouts and tactile paving to be provided on three side roads connecting to Dialstone Lane. This includes Hurdsfield Road, Cruttenden Road and Dial Park Road.  
• The existing ‘No Waiting at Any Time’ restrictions at the junctions of Hurdsfield Road, Cruttenden Road and Dial Park Road with Dialstone Road will be revised to follow the new kerbline for the build outs to protect visibility and prevent parked vehicles blocking the pedestrian route.
• New ‘No Waiting at Any Time’ restrictions on the western side of Dialstone Lane from 288 Dialstone Lane to the junction with Buxton Road (A6). Deliveries will still be allowed.
• Parking bays proposed on the eastern side of Dialstone Lane between No.  245-293.
• To improve pedestrian facilities along Dialstone Lane, there is a proposed uncontrolled pedestrian crossing with central refuge island and eastern kerb buildout to be provided adjacent to No. 261 Dialstone Lane, between Cruttenden Road and Dial Park Road.
• Introduction of right-turn ghost island into Cruttenden Road and Dial Park Road to enable right turning vehicles to queue separately in order to improve the safety for those waiting to turn right as well as reduce congestion on Dialstone Lane.

View drawing in a new window

Full details of the proposals (including drawings) can be viewed online. We are inviting feedback from all residents, businesses, and other stakeholders by Wednesday 9th August 2023 at www.stockport.gov.uk/consultations.

If you would like paper copy information and/or response forms, or to discuss any of the above, please contact the team by phone on 0161 217 6043, email at

walkcycle@stockport.gov.uk  or by post at Services to Place, Stopford House, Stockport, SK1 3XE.

Why your views matter

We would like to hear your views on the proposals, and specifically to what extent you agree or disagree with them.

All responses to this consultation will be considered as part of the scheme development process prior to any implementation. Please be aware we may not be able to enter detailed correspondence with individuals about points raised.

Delivery of the scheme is subject to approval and funding being agreed by the Government’s City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) and the Transforming Cities Fund. If approved and awarded funding, the scheme could be delivered in phases during 2024.

For future updates on this scheme and to find out more about active travel across Stockport, visit www.stockport.gov.uk/topic/cycling-and-walking-in-stockport.