Mayors form alliance to support Peak District

Improving the longevity of infrastructure like Snake Pass and Woodhead Pass is one of the core goals of the Peak Partnership, made up of Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, Mayor of South Yorkshire Oliver Coppard, and Mayor of the East Midlands Claire Ward.

The trio met up in Buxton on Tuesday to seal their alliance, which had been teased earlier this year.

The goal is to ensure that the Peak District National Park remains a vibrant place to visit, continuing its legacy of bringing in 14m tourists a year and delivering £3bn in annual economic impact.

This includes investing in rural bus services and rail connections, to help bring as many people sustainably and accessibly to the area.

To do this, they will form a united front to government and National Highways, working with both – as well as the local authorities – to forward their agenda.

“By working together through the Peak Partnership, we can tackle long-standing challenges like the resilience of the Snake Pass, improve transport links, and unlock new opportunities for visitors and residents alike,” Ward said.

“This is about thinking bigger than our own boundaries, protecting what makes the Peaks special while making it easier for people to live, work, and thrive here for generations to come.”

• BOOK NOW | South Yorkshire Development Update

Snake Pass was paid special attention at the meeting. Considered one of the most dangerous roads in the country, it links Glossop and Sheffield and is travelled on by approximately 30,000 vehicles a week.

Coppard told BBC Derby that he was “deeply worried” about the future of Snake Pass. It had been the state of this road that had initially sparked the idea of the Peak Partnership.

Burnham added that it should be considered national infrastructure, with its maintenance funded by more than just Derbyshire County Council – as is the case currently.

There has already been progress on that front – with the government pledging £7.6m to improve speed limit signage, the carriageway, and visibility. There would also be a dedicated motorcycle barrier.

Snake Pass is only one part of the mayors’ travel ambitions, though.

Burnham said: “The Peak District connects us geographically, but it also connects our ambitions – for better transport, stronger communities, and a growing economy that works for everyone.

“By investing in rural infrastructure and improving sustainable travel links, we’re not only making it easier for people to get around, we’re unlocking new opportunities for tourism, business, and local jobs.”

Coppard built on Burnham’s words. “Infrastructure projects on the Snake Pass and Woodhead Pass will create better connections across the Peak District and between the big cities of the North, helping build a bigger, better economy,” he said.

“Alongside the work we’re doing through our Great North Partnership, White Rose Agreement and South Yorkshire Local Visitor Economy Partnership, the Peak Partnership will again show what real collaboration looks like – putting people, places, and potential at the heart of everything we do.”