MOTORISTS heading into Chester city centre are being warned traffic disruption is very likely once more this week.

Over the past year, work to install a huge new rain and surface water drainage tunnel has been taking place in the city centre, to allow for additional drainage capacity and reduce the need for untreated sewage discharges into the River Dee when there is heavy rainfall.

As part of the works, the Clockwise Chester road layout was installed around the city.

But, while the road system has produced relatively little disruption over the first 11 months, trouble has arisen on Nicholas Street on several days over the past six weeks as part of the central reservation reinstatement works.

This is because certain sections of work reduced the northbound road on the dual carriageway – from Grosvenor Roundabout to Watergate Street – to just one lane of traffic, causing tailbacks stretching back over Grosvenor Bridge, to Overleigh Roundabout and beyond.

And while traffic has been flowing in two lanes over the past few days, from Wednesday, November 24, work at the junction between Nicholas Street and Watergate will once again restrict traffic to one lane.

A spokesperson for Cheshire West and Chester Council said the works will be carried out between Wednesday and Friday.

Wherever possible outside of working hours, the workers will try to revert the road to two lanes northbound.

One lane of traffic will still be able to flow southbound from the Watergate Street junction, as has been the case since last month.

Nuns Road and Castle Drive will remain closed to through traffic. These roads are not scheduled to reopen until late January.

Previously, CWaC says one lane closure is necessary for either side of the central reservation works to provide a safe working area and protect workers from traffic.

Cllr Karen Shore, deputy leader of the council and cabinet member – environment, highways and strategic transport said: “Despite the Clockwise diversions working well for the past year, we are aware these recent works have resulted in significant delays and caused inconvenience to many residents.

"Please bear with us over the coming weeks while we complete the final stage of what has been a major infrastructure project for the city.

“The new surface water drain will provide many future-proof environmental benefits for years to come, not least to significantly reduce instances of flooding and the number of untreated sewage discharges into the river when the current network is at capacity, both high profile national issues at the moment.”