Anti-terrorism bollards to be installed at Chester Racecourse

News and Info from Deeside, Flintshire, North Wales

This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Mar 6th, 2024

Cheshire West and Chester Council has said it is working with Chester Racecourse to enable them to install sockets for anti-terrorism bollards on roads around the venue.

On race days and other event occasions, the bollards will be positioned into the sockets to assist the necessary road closures.

This setup is expected to significantly reduce disruption for residents and motorists on event days by shortening the duration roads need to be closed compared to the current situation.

The introduction of these bollards is set to replace the hostile vehicle mitigation (HVM) system presently employed by the racecourse.

The council has clarified there is “no intelligence to suggest that there is a specific threat posed to the Racecourse.”

Nevertheless, the vehicle security bollards are intended to prevent hostile or accidental vehicle intrusions into densely populated pedestrian zones, offering protection from potential vehicle-based attacks.

The work is scheduled to commence in April, necessitating several road closures during the implementation phase.

Vehicle security bollards are already a feature across Chester city centre, aimed at safeguarding large crowds during public events and busy shopping periods.

Councillor Karen Shore, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and Highways, stated, “The bollards will not only protect racecourse visitors in crowded areas on race days but also facilitate quicker application and removal of road closures, thus minimising city disruption during race meetings.”

She added, “While some disruption from road closures is inevitable, the outcome will foster smoother traffic flow in the city during race events.”

Louise Stewart, CEO of Chester Race Company, remarked, “Ensuring the safety of our guests and the public is paramount. The new sockets offer a more adaptable, semi-permanent HVM solution, mitigating the extensive impact of road closures on race days and during other events on the city and its inhabitants.”

“We acknowledge the temporary inconvenience this may cause but have worked diligently with the Council’s highways team to expedite the necessary work,” she continued.

Affected roads during the bollard installation include Watergate Street, New Crane Street, Stanley Street, Nicholas Mews, Nuns Road, City Walls Road, Grey Friars, and Black Friars.

The Council said it will soon provide comprehensive closure details on its website, ensuring resident access is maintained throughout.

The project is being carried out by the Council’s highways contractor Colas in partnership with Liverpool Civils, is funded entirely by Chester Racecourse.

The schedule for the upcoming road closures is as follows: