Roadworks in Chester suspended for the Christmas period “to keep the festive season running smoothly”

Cheshire West and Chester Council has said there will be a roadworks embargo for the Christmas period “to keep the festive season running smoothly.

There will be a suspension of all non-essential roadworks in Chester city centre and all major towns and major retail outlet areas across the borough from noon on Monday 22 November 2021 until 11.59pm on Sunday 9 January 2022.

The suspension will cover Chester city centre, Ellesmere Port, Frodsham, Neston, Northwich and Winsford town centres. Only essential emergency repairs to utility services will be granted permission to work on the road network in these areas, as well as the ongoing works for the Northgate drain project.

The Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Strategic Transport, Councillor Karen Shore said: “At this time of year we of course see a significant increase in visitors in and around our major shopping centres, in the run-up to and through the Christmas and New Year periods.

“A roadworks suspension has worked well in previous years and will help freight, visitors and shoppers access the borough’s wonderful shopping and leisure facilities by keeping traffic running smoothly.”

“We can all play our part in keeping Chester and other busy areas moving by choosing to use one of our three high frequency Park and Ride services that come directly into the City of Chester.

Where possible you could use public transport and other alternative modes of transport like cycling or walking; or travel at less busy times of the day.

If you don’t need to be in the City or near very busy areas, you could consider using alternative routes to avoid congestion and limiting the impact to your journey.”

“We may, of course, need to grant permits for work on the road network during these dates if emergency repairs are needed to ensure the supply of vital utility services to homes and businesses.”

The suspension only applies to the borough’s road network, however the Council’s Highways Service is working with the other network operators, including National Highways and Network Rail, to minimise the impact of any proposed works on their own networks, through promoting off-peak and night-time working.