IT IS full speed ahead for Alderley Edge bypass.

A legal writ which threatened the start of the £48.4m relief road has been withdrawn less than six weeks before it was due to be heard in the High Court.

The challenge by businessman David Stagg, of Bollington Lane, Nether Alderley, against the Secretary of State for Transport and Cheshire County Council was listed for June 7.

There was no order for costs to either side.

Now the time table is back on track with initial construction work due to start later this year.

A spokesman for Cheshire County Council said: "The legal objection has been withdrawn with each party bearing their own costs.This means we can now proceed without having to wait for the high court challenge to be heard. The work programme for a start on the project later this year will proceed."

David Stagg of Bollington Lane, Nether Alderley, lodged the writ claiming there had been flaws in the compulsory purchase order procedure. With the legal hitch now resolved the diggers are expected to be at work by January next year.

In the meantime orders have been placed for the specialist steel piling to be delivered in time for Christmas when Network Rail will carry out essential works to shore up the line so that the trenching for the roadway can be dug out underneath.

Earlier this month the new East Cheshire Council, which officially takes over from Cheshire County Council on April 1, 2009, pledged to honour its commitment to the project and rubber stamped orders to proceed.

The project has already been approved by the Secretary of State for Transport but awaits final clearance for funding. The three and a half mile bypass was planned more than 70 years ago to relieve traffic congestion in Alderley Edge and Nether Alderley.

It has been jinxed by delays and ten years ago lost out in the race for funding and had to be shelved. More recently there was a dispute over the route which was finally resolved at a public inquiry.

Tatton MP George Osborne said he had been campaigning behind the scenes and recently spoke to Mr Stagg.

He said: "The whole community wants this bypass to go ahead, especially as it has been such a struggle. The point about this bypass is that not only is it desperately needed, but the whole community agrees it’s needed. It’s an agreed route and everyone’s happy and everyone agrees we need one. We have been trying since 1930 and I am determined we are going to get it built in the next couple of years