LONG-SUFFERING motorists have been given an early Christmas present after a crucial Chester link road has finally reopened after nearly nine months.

Nuns Road, which links Grosvenor Road with the bottom of Lower Watergate Street, had been closed since March 29 this yearas part of the extensive Clockwise Chester road scheme to install a huge new rain and surface water drainage tunnel.

The road closure, combined with the closure of the southbound Nicholas Street section between Watergate Street and Grosvenor Roundabout, meant any traffic coming from Sealand Road up New Crane Street would have to complete a loop of the city centre to get to Grosvenor Roundabout.

However, at the time Nuns Road was closed initially, the nation was still under heavy Covid restrictions, meaning there wasn't too much congestion.

But there were plenty of delays when, as part of resurfacing works and central barrier replacement last month, Nicholas Street was reduced in part to just one lane of traffic, meaning practically all traffic south of the river heading into Chester could only get into the city centre and/or Sealand Road through one lane.

To the relief of motorists, the top of Nuns Road has been cleared of construction site fencing and vehicles, and is open to traffic both ways, meaning traffic can head directly from Grosvenor Road to the bottom of Lower Watergate Street, while traffic heading in the other direction can exit left from the top of Nuns Road once more.

The section of work has been completed sooner than expected, with Cheshire West and Chester Council initially saying the work was expected to be completed in January 2022.

Clockwise Chester is entering its final stages, with central reservation works still due to take place on Nicholas Street, while Castle Drive is not expected to reopen fully until the end of January 2022.

On the 'Go Clockwise Chester' project website, the council said: "The new drain will result in significant future proof environmental protections and benefits; the council is working with Welsh Water and the Environment Agency to ensure that the drain meets water industry and environmental standards.

"The benefits will include:

  • Reducing instances of flooding and drain bursts in the city centre
  • Reducing the number of untreated sewage discharges into the river due to heavy rainfall when the current network is already at capacity.
  • Diverting rainwater away from the sewer network which will reduce the volume of water requiring sewage treatment and in turn, reduce the energy used as a result
  • Maximising the capacity of the existing household and commercial sewer network
  • Providing a more efficient and sustainable rainwater drainage network for Chester."
  • For more information about the Clockwise Chester scheme, visit www.clockwisechester.com .