25th June 2026
The A555 relief road was intended to be one of the North West’s most important transport projects, easing congestion between the A6 at Hazel Grove and Manchester Airport.
Instead, the road has become associated with flooding, closures and one of the biggest corporate failures in British history.
When construction giant Carillion collapsed in January 2018, it sent shockwaves through the construction industry and left thousands of workers, suppliers and public sector projects facing uncertainty.
Among those projects was the A6 to Manchester Airport Relief Road, better known as the A555.
A Major Road Under Construction
Carillion was part of the joint venture responsible for delivering the £290 million scheme, working alongside Morgan Sindall.
The road was designed to improve connectivity across South Manchester and East Cheshire, reducing pressure on local routes through communities such as Hazel Grove, Bramhall, Woodford and Handforth.
However, before the project was completed, serious drainage issues emerged on sections of the route.
Engineers were forced to undertake major repairs after defects were identified in drainage infrastructure beneath the carriageway. Sections of the road remained closed for months while excavation and remedial works were carried out.
The Collapse of Carillion
On 15 January 2018, Carillion entered compulsory liquidation after failing to secure additional financial support from lenders and the Government.
At the time of its collapse, the company was one of the UK’s largest construction and facilities management businesses, involved in major projects across the country.
The timing could hardly have been worse for the A555 project.
Questions were immediately raised about responsibility for ongoing works, future maintenance obligations and the cost of rectifying defects that had already been discovered.
Fortunately, the involvement of Morgan Sindall and the arrangements put in place by the Official Receiver meant work on the scheme was able to continue.
The road eventually opened, but public confidence had already been dented.
Why Has the A555 Attracted Criticism?
Since opening, the A555 has experienced a number of flooding incidents that have led to temporary closures and disruption for motorists.
Local residents have questioned whether the road’s drainage systems are adequate, particularly during periods of intense rainfall.
Engineers point out that modern roads rely on complex drainage networks and that extreme weather events are becoming more frequent. Critics argue that recurring closures suggest deeper issues that should have been addressed during construction.
Whatever the cause, the flooding has ensured that the road remains a frequent topic of discussion across the area.
Who Paid for the Problems?
One of the enduring mysteries surrounding the project concerns liability for defects discovered around the time of Carillion’s collapse.
Large infrastructure projects are typically protected by contractual guarantees, warranties and insurance arrangements. However, when a major contractor becomes insolvent, recovering costs can become significantly more complicated.
While repairs were completed and the scheme eventually entered service, the details of any financial settlements have never been widely publicised.
A Road That Continues to Divide Opinion
Today, many motorists value the A555 for reducing journey times and removing traffic from local roads.
Others view it as a project that has never fully escaped the problems that emerged during its construction.
What is beyond dispute is that the story of the A555 became closely intertwined with the downfall of Carillion, one of the most dramatic corporate collapses in modern British history.
Nearly a decade later, both remain subjects of debate across Greater Manchester and Cheshire.
