A DAY of celebrations will mark the end of the road for a village's battling by-pass campaigners.

It's more than 20 years since Wheelock launched its bid for a relief road.

Next month the £11.5million link that covers 1.6miles between the village and Sandbach is due to open.

This coming Sunday, the communities at each end of the road and the 'releived' families living on the by-passed Crewe Road that links them will be rejoicing in style.

They will be heading for the Sandbach end of the road to step for the first time on the long awaited carriageway. And they are inviting people from the wider area around them to join in the fun.

A charity fair featuring a host of stalls, plus car boot sale, children's entertainment, tug of war and fancy dress competitions and fun walks are amongst the attractions lined up between 10am and 3pm.

After a break the celebrations will rev up again- at the Wheelock end of the road - with an open-air extravaganza starting at 7pm featuring a firework display and music by the Port Sunlight Lyceum Brass Band.

The day has been organised by Sandbach Lions but was initiated by main contractors Galliford.

"We hope that people from a wide area will come and join the celebrations. The road will make such a significant difference not only to the communities it offers relief to, but to the many people for whom it will shorten journeys," said Lions organiser Reg Shallcross.

Although the day-time celebrations are being staged at the Sandbach end of the route because of easier access and better car parking facilities, it is the long-suffering village of Wheelock that has the greatest cause for celebration.

The new road will lighten the load on the currently busy A534 where, over the years, villagers have seen numerous accidents and near misses. The first cry for a by-pass went up back in the early 1770s when a lorry crashed into a paper shop.

In the years that followed there were serious three and four car accidents, a bus shelter was flattened twice, a house almost demolished and the front of a house destroyed. Residents feared crossing the road as the traffic flow increased.

In 1989 a By-Pass Action Committee was formed and the campaign began in earnest. Progress was slow - stop/go, fears over funding, petitions and two demonstrations for which the village turned out in force followed. Then came the suprise announcement in March 1997. Work was to begin that May!

To find out more about the building of the road and further details of Sunday's celebrations turn to pages 16 and 17.

Caption

TOPPING UP! Surface treatment for the new by-pass. Pictured watching are long-term campaigners, Action Committee Chairman Roger Foden and fellow founder member Rosemary Stevens. The fight has been long and hard.

No-one knows better than Mr Foden just how tough it's been. He has spearheaded the campaign. For him the by-pass has played a major role in his life for almost two decades.

"After all the delays it is hard to believe the fight is over. At times, because of the repeated delays and disappointments, it was difficult to get up and begin again. Now I've walked and been driven along the road and it's a great feeling," said Action Committee Chairman, Roger Foden.

"I would like to congratulate everyone involved in the negotiations, the preparations, the lobbying and pressuring. Not least the people of Wheelock and Sandbach who encouraged, marched and wrote letters. They deserve an award. I couldn't have done anything without their help," he added.

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