Work starts on Chester’s new multi-million-pound bus station at Gorse Stacks

Contractor Graham Construction has taken occupancy of the Gorse Stacks site and will shortly be erecting the site hoardings and accommodation, with motorists being warned of road closures and temporary diversions starting today.

The £13.5m interchange is due to open in early 2017, enabling the closure of the existing bus interchange at Princess Street and paving the way for work to commence on the £300m Northgate development.

Some city centre roads will be affected by utility diversion work which is necessary to ensure the new facility at Gorse Stacks will not in future need to close to allow utility repairs and maintenance work.

For approximately a week from 28 September, traffic using Frodsham Street and Cow Lane Bridge will be diverted via St Oswald’s Way to allow water main and power cable replacement works to be carried out.

The second phase of these works is expected to begin on October 5 and will require southbound traffic on Gorse Stacks to be diverted Hoole Way roundabout on to Frodsham Street.

During this phase, traffic leaving the Tesco and Kaleyards car parks will exit via Frodsham Street, Foregate Street and St Oswald’s Way.

Traffic will also be affected by works on the central reservation of St Oswald’s Way between September 30 and October 15. This work will take place between 9.30am and 3.30pm to avoid peak times.

The completed work will create a temporary traffic lane on the central reservation in order to maintain two lanes while sewer diversion work takes place in lane one of the northbound carriageway.

The sewer diversion will also require a short-term closure of Brook Street, with traffic diverted via St Martin’s Way and Fountains Roundabout.

Meanwhile, Oulton Place will be closed to traffic from approximately October 5 to November 24 while archaeological investigations are carried out close to the site of the former Ship Victory pub.

During December the road at the southern side of the bus interchange site, also named Gorse Stacks, will be narrowed from four lanes to two to enable the boundary hoarding to be extended.

Councillor Brian Clarke, Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Infrastructure, said:

“These essential road closures and traffic diversions have been carefully planned to minimise inconvenience as far as possible.

“However, some disruption is inevitable and we would like the thank motorists, local residents and businesses in advance for their patience and co-operation.

“Letters regarding the temporary road layouts will be issued regularly to local residents and businesses, and updates will be available on the Cheshire West and Chester Council website.”