Local Transport Plan

Why we need a new plan

Transport and travel play a crucial role in our everyday lives. To ensure our continued success and prosperity, we need to plan a transport network that is fit for the future - one that connects people to jobs, education, healthcare, and leisure facilities, while supporting a healthier and more sustainable environment.

Since our current Local Transport Plan (LTP) was adopted in 2019, there has been considerable change in transport movements and trends. So, now is the right time to update our plan to ensure that the council maintains a policy framework that is robust and relevant to the needs of Cheshire East.

What's happened so far

In January 2025, the Cheshire East Highways and Transport Committee discussed the proposals and gave approval to launch a consultation on the draft vision for transport. To view an outline of work completed to date, including the vision and objectives summary, detailed evidence base report and an Equality Impact Assessment, see the minutes of the committee meeting.

Our Vision for Transport consultation took place between 24 February and 21 April 2025. This gave the opportunity for all to feedback on our draft vision, our aims and priorities, and the key transport challenges and opportunities identified. Thank you to everyone that responded - your consultation feedback is important to help us refine our vision and create a transport strategy that truly reflects the needs and aspirations you want from Cheshire East. Please look out for the final report which will be published on the consultation results webpage in due course summarising the feedback that was received.

What will happen next

We are about to go into a second round of consultation on our Local Transport Plan. This will be an eight-week consultation, which opens on Monday 13 October and closes on Sunday 7 December.

It is envisaged that the new LTP will be adopted in 2026.

Local Transport Plan 2019-2024

Cheshire East Council’s Local Transport Plan 2019 - 2024 (LTP) was adopted in October 2019. The strategy considers all forms of transport over the 5-year period of 2019-2024. It is a framework for how transport will support wider policies to improve our economy, protect our environment and make attractive places to live, work and play. The LTP outlines the role transport will play in supporting the long term goals of Cheshire East.

As part of the LTP the council is taking a range of actions across the borough. To complement these actions, the council developed Local Transport Development Plans that set out a range of potential schemes that could be delivered to improve the transport network to support towns and surrounding areas. Public consultation on a range of potential schemes took place between December 2020 and March 2021.

Plans have been developed for the two principal towns (Crewe and Macclesfield) and 9 key service centres (Alsager, Congleton, Handforth, Middlewich, Nantwich Knutsford, Poynton, Sandbach, Wilmslow). They also include surrounding areas to ensure all parts of the borough are included in at least one plan.

The plans identify how a coordinated and integrated transport network can be delivered, covering all forms of transport including walking, cycling, buses, rail, and road traffic. Improvements included in the plans are complementary to regeneration plans across the borough.

At this stage the majority of potential schemes are at the concept stage and unfunded. The Local Transport Development Plans will however guide future council investment in the transport network at a local level and act as enabling documents to secure external funds.

Local Transport Development Plans

Further information

If you have any further questions about the LTP Strategy, email our team at LTP@cheshireeast.gov.uk.

Disclaimer

If you require any of the PDFs on this page in an accessible format email webteam@cheshireeast.gov.uk.

Page last reviewed: 05 September 2025