LETTER: Fairfield - '˜Wishful thinking' for access road

The area of Fairfield Common where a large roundabout is to be built.

What is discouraging is the quoted comment from Prinali Parikh regarding the possibility of a proper by pass/connecting road for the A6.

Apart from the fact that any proper by pass is a Derbyshire County Council (DCC) highway’s issue, and not a High Peak Borough Council (HPBC) one, surely the time has come to bite a few bullets.

The need for a by pass of some kind for Buxton is indisputable, but it obviously is going to be expensive, and could be intrusive if not well planned.

However, bearing in mind that it has taken more than 40 years to get the A6 to the airport/M56 link road to be built, and that has been on the maps for the same length of time as a proposal, surely the relevant authorities can get their heads around what is actually required for Buxton now, and protect the routes.

If all that is needed is to link A6 south and north that’s one thing, if an almost outer circular route is needed to connect all major roads that’s obviously another, but being timid about even starting the process is no help to anyone. My thoughts on an A6 (only) route would be to start between Tom Thorn and Fairfield Common, keeping to the higher lands between Waterswallows Quarry and Fairfield, along the Peak Park boundary above Woo Dale and behind Tunstead Quarry and then a mini Millau viaduct over Wye Dale to re-join the A6 at the top of the existing climb near Topley Pike/Blackwell- minimising the gradients.

However, I know I’m not going to live another 40 years to perhaps see it come to fruition so wishful thinking will continue!

John H. Brook

Leefield Road,

Chapel-en-le-Frith

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