Macclesfield Road, Rainow – embankment and carriageway collapse
The embankment supporting the B5470 Macclesfield, midway between Ginclough and Kettleshulme collapsed together with part of carriageway in January 2025.
Before the road collapse, temporary traffic lights were in place for safety reasons to mitigate the risk to the public while we investigated defects found on the embankment. We consider significant rainfall to have been a contributory factor to the sudden subsidence, which was unexpected.
The road remains closed for safety reasons.
Progress updates
The works will start on 27 October 2025, and will take approximately 20 weeks, and will be complete by mid-March 2026. We understand the disruption and are working hard to reopen the road safely and as soon as possible.
The works have been planned following the completion of all complex ground investigations on site, which included an ecology survey, drainage survey, and thorough geotechnical surveys to understand condition of the embankment and the ground beneath it.
Site clearance and pedestrian and cyclist access installation will be carried out before the works start, with coordination underway with Openreach to relocate cables within the collapse zone.
The works will also include:
- a reinforced earth slope will be built with a green face that’s hydroseeded to blend into the natural surroundings
- full replacement of the existing highway drainage system
- covering a wider areas than just embankment collapse to provide the future stability of the road
We continue to be in close communication with the Peak District National Park Authority to ensure we meet planning and environmental regulations.
Due to the scale and complexity of the repair, the estimated cost is around £1.6 million.
We understand that working in the Peak District during the winter is not ideal due to the weather. However, we have decided to proceed with the work to get the road reopened as soon as possible rather than delaying construction until 2026.
Throughout the construction phase, a dedicated walkway away from the works area will be provided to ensure that access for pedestrians and cyclists is maintained.
We will continue to provide updates as the project progresses.
A huge amount of work has gone into ensuring the most suitable solution for the embankment repair, that also complements the natural surroundings. With everything now in place, we're ready to begin — Councillor Mark Goldsmith explains more in the video below.
Buses will be operating a revised route during the closure, see the timetable changes to the 60 and 60A bus for more information.
We appreciate that the closure causes significant detours for regular users of the road, and we apologise for this inconvenience.
Diversion route
There is a signed diversion in place and members of the travelling public, including cyclists are advised to follow this. See the full diversion route.
This diversion route is on our gritting route. You can view all of our gritting routes using our interactive map: winter treatment network. The black lines show our gritting routes.
Further information:
- Emergency access will not be maintained due to the condition of the embankment and carriageway
- Emergency services are aware of the closure and the diversion arrangements are in place emergency vehicles
- The road closure is necessary to protect the safety of both members of the public and our workforce
- Diversion routes are in place and signed
- Local businesses remain open and access will be facilitated where possible via diversion routes
- Delays are expected and motorists should plan journeys
- Pedestrian and cyclist access will be maintained where possible and safe to do so
Page last reviewed: 07 October 2025
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