Chester Northgate highways update

The Council’s Northgate development contractors will be carrying out a series of highways works around the site during May and June to provide access for pedestrians, public transport and vehicles, as construction nears completion.

The works have been scheduled to minimise their impact on through traffic and to avoid forthcoming city centre events, race meetings and the Jubilee bank holidays.

Hunter Street – 13 May 2022

Daytime closure of Hunter Street to through traffic between 9am and 4pm for crane access to Market roof. During the closure, Northgate Street will operate as a two-way traffic flow with exit via Canal Street and the Fountains Roundabout only. Restrictions will apply as per June closures.

St. Martins Way – 16 to 21 May 2022

Overnight only closures between Fountains Roundabout and Watergate Street from 8pm to 6am as follows:

• 16 May – full closure in both directions for surface planning works
• 17 and 18 May – southbound closure for resurfacing
• 19 and 20 May – northbound closure for resurfacing, completion of central reservation and road marking
• 21 May - southbound closure for completion of central reservation and road marking.

To help minimise the impact, the Council is working with the contractors to ensure where possible, that the most noisy and disruptive works are carried out between 8pm and 10.30pm, and to maintain access to and from Princess/Trinity Street and Hunter Street/Sens Close for residents, although some delays may be experienced while the works are underway, and equipment is safely moved out of the way.

Specific diversion routes will be provided each night for traffic using the inner ring road.

Hunter Street – 6 to 15 June 2022 (excluding 11 and 12 June)

Daytime closures of Hunter Street to through traffic between 8am and 4.30pm for resurfacing and paving works. During the closures, Northgate Street will operate as a two-way traffic flow with exit via Canal Street and the Fountains Roundabout only.

To reduce the number of vehicles using Northgate Street, a traffic marshal will be positioned at the northern end of Northgate Street (at the junction with George Street and Canal Street), between 10.30am and 4.30pm Monday – Friday, to ensure access-only traffic is allowed.

In addition, to ensure that two-way traffic can use Northgate Street and obstructions can be minimised, loading will be prohibited on Northgate Street between George Street and Hunter Street, Monday – Friday between 10.30am and 4.30pm other than in the lay-by outside Chez Jules, where the current restrictions will remain in place.

All other current restrictions in the vicinity, including city centre access via the Town Hall bollards will remain unchanged during the Hunter Street closure. Pedestrian access along Hunter Street will remain open during the closures.

During the closures, the free Shopper Hopper bus service from the Chester Bus Interchange will stop and pick-up on St. Werburgh Street outside Barclays Bank, instead of Hunter Street, and run every half-hour.

For more details on the Chester Northgate scheme see: www.chesternorthgate.com