Travel agents are urging an investigation into severe flooding on the A555, impacting access to Manchester Airport and causing major disruptions.
The heavy rain on New Year’s Day made it impossible to reach the airport via the A555. Some travel agents, like those from the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), say their customers are now looking at other airports just to avoid the flooded road. The North West chairman of ABTA is calling for an inquiry into the road, which was built in 2018.
Stockport Council is on it, working with others to figure out how to prevent this flooding from happening again. Firefighters even had to rescue a guy from his car after he got stuck in the floodwaters. The A555, which connects the A6 to the M56, has had flooding issues before, especially during heavy rain.
Richard Slater, ABTA’s regional chairman, expressed his frustration, saying the flooding has caused major disruptions and raised questions about the road’s design. He believes a thorough review of the planning and construction is necessary to avoid future problems.
After the New Year’s Day floods, some parts of the road reopened, but it faced closures again when the snow melted last weekend. Becky Hall, who runs a travel agency, mentioned that many of her customers are now opting to fly from Liverpool or East Midlands airports instead of risking the A555. She noted that about 95% of her clients usually use that route to get to Manchester Airport.
Stockport Council, along with Cheshire East and Manchester City Council, is managing the road situation. They’ve acknowledged the disruption and apologized for the inconvenience, emphasizing that safety is their top priority. They’re working hard to keep drivers and passengers safe, even if it means making tough decisions about road closures.
