Residents in Greater Manchester have revealed their anguish over traffic proposals which their council believes will make their road safer. However, there are several faults with the plans
Furious locals have slammed traffic plans in their area as they raise fears they will be unable to park outside their homes and businesses.
Residents living in the rural village of Marple Bridge, which is known for its strong access links to the Peak District, have raised concerns over proposals in Greater Manchester. Under the plans by Stockport Council, a new zebra crossing will be placed on Compstall Road, close to a junction with zig zag lines around it.
Funded by the government’s City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement, the plan would see the bus stop being moved further ahead of the crossing, and re-locating some of the existing parking bays outside the Portland Wines shop. Officials say the aim is to make it safer for people to use public transport in the borough. However, locals say the changes will have a detrimental impact on businesses, and could even make them consider breaking the law.
Driving instructor Zeki Al-Khishali, who lives on the road, fears he won’t be able to park his car on his own driveway. The plans would introduce new zig zag lines near the new Zebra crossing – prohibiting cars from stopping there. But Zeki says he needs to stop at this point on the road to reverse his car onto his property. He said: “It’s putting me in a situation where I need to break the law to put my car in my driveway.”
Caroline Greenough, 46, who also lives on the road, said the bus stop would be moved outside her home under the plans, reports Manchester Evening News. She worries about the noise impact on her three children, and the potential for accidents if cars try to overtake the bus while people are using the Zebra crossing. “My front door is two or three steps from the road so that bus is pulling up on my doorstep and they are going to take away all the parking from there,” Caroline said. “I’m just surprised that they think this is safe. I think it will cause an accident and someone will get hurt. It’s just in the wrong place”
Sally Maltby, 83, also shared concerns about the safety of the design. She added: “I think it’s vital to have a crossing, but moving the bus stop that direction is a mistake. There’s a brow on the road so cars are coming up the hill blind. It’s a dangerous road, cars come down here too fast. I’ve lost my wing mirror twice while parking on the road [hit by other cars].”
Businesses based on the road said the issue has been the talk of the village in the past few weeks. Andy Crofts, 53, works at Portland Wine and said moving the parking bays outside the shop could hurt trade. “We have two parking spaces which will go. But if you want to buy a load of wine you will drive. This will cause a serious downturn in the business. I also don’t know how we’ll get our deliveries.”
An online petition organised by Zeki had a total of 97 respondents and found that most people disagreed with the location of the crossing. However, the proposals were given the green light at the Marple Area Committee last summer after a consultation found 78 percent of respondents agreed with the plans. Then in October 2024, the council’s cabinet member for highways gave approval for the changes, and town hall has advertised the planned traffic regulations on its website.
Coun Steve Gribbon, who represents the Marple North ward, said the scheme had been designed with safety in mind after several “near misses” on the road due to speeding cars. Just a few weeks ago, Coun Gribbon shared on his Facebook page that a collision happened on the road which emergency services attended, almost exactly in the spot where the new crossing will be.
The councillor added that there is support for the plan, with a petition signed by 60 residents in favour of the scheme having been submitted to Stockport council. He added: “It’s a road that has got the most complaints about speeding on it, where there are a lot of people crossing the road, kids coming home from school and trying to get across the road to the Cote Green estate.
“This is not about upsetting residents, it’s about having a safe passage for them on a dark Thursday night when they try to get across, when it can be difficult. We’re trying to protect our residents. We’ve had so many calls about near misses on that road, and because of that it’s made us want to do something about it. We don’t ever want to see someone knocked down, this is about safety, but we also want to work with local residents and businesses on it.”
Coun Grace Baynham, who is Stockport council’s cabinet member for parks, highways and transport services, said: “This would address a long-standing request from residents for safety improvements for pedestrians and school children and improved access for bus passengers boarding or alighting at stops on Compstall Road. The public consultation showed a high level of support, with 78pc of respondents supporting the crossing, including 66pc who strongly agreed with the proposals.
“We considered alternative locations between Ernocroft Road and Glossop Road, but after a thorough review, no suitable alternatives were identified due to narrow footpaths and lack of visibility. We understand how important it is that residents can safely use their driveways and if it is safe to do so, vehicles can stop temporarily on the zig-zags or the crossing itself to reverse onto their driveways.
“This crossing will help to improve safety and accessibility for both pedestrians and public transport users on Compstall Road and we are committed to delivering these enhancements to address community concerns and create safer, more inclusive streets for everyone.”
