Storm Eunice delays lifting of Clockwise Chester road diversion

High winds and heavy rain falling on Friday, February 18 – allied to a poor weather forecast for the weekend – means the first stage of lifting Clockwise diversions will not happen as previously planned on Sunday, February 20.

But motorists won't have too long to wait, as the return to two-way traffic on St Martin's Way will now happen on Tuesday, February 22.

Cheshire west and Chester Council said: "The weather conditions will prevent further preparatory overnight works being completed, which are an important safety precursor to reopening St Martin's Way southbound.

"However, at this stage it is anticipated that the second and third stages in the lifting will not be delayed on 27 February and 6 March – reopening the route around the amphitheatre back to two-way traffic between Love Street and Pepper Street."

The city centre one-way traffic scheme, first implemented in November 2020 so 1km long new rain and surface water drainage tunnel could be installed underneath major city roads, will come to an end in early March.

Cheshire West and Chester Council has confirmed the road network will return to as it was prior to the Clockwise scheme, with the ring road becoming two-way again. Only Grosvenor Park Road and Union Street will remain one-way only (from The Bars roundabout to the Love Street junction), as it was before the roadworks began.

The lifting of the Clockwise works will be done in phases, crucially to allow motorists and pedestrians to get used to using two-way roads around the Chester Roman Amphitheatre once more.

From February 22, St Martin's Way will reopen in both directions, with two lanes of traffic either side. A temporary gap in the carriageway, which was intended for emergency vehicles only to turn right from St Martin's Way on to City Walls Road if needed, will be closed up.

The pebble-dashed central reservation on Nicholas Street has been replaced by bollards.

A slight tweak to the Watergate Street junction means traffic heading southbound on St Martin's Way will have a new, third, feeder lane to move into, if turning right into Lower Watergate Street. Previously, traffic heading straight on only had the left lane, which caused many rush-hour bottlenecks.

The phased lifting of Clockwise Chester restrictions.

From February 27, traffic will be restricted to one lane – the left-hand lane – on Vicar's Lane (from the junction with Love Street), Little St John Street and part of Pepper Street, up to the junction of Newgate Street, for one week.

This will be to allow motorists to get used to driving in that lane only. For the past 15 months, traffic has been able to use both lanes.

From March 6, those series of roads will be fully reopened – but traffic will then be flowing in both directions.

The phased lifting of Clockwise Chester restrictions.

Additional signs and lane markings will be in place during those weeks, and a 20mph speed limit will remain in force.

Clockwise Chester first went live in November 2020, during a Covid lockdown, and for the first few months saw relatively little additional traffic disruption as the continued lockdowns resulted in less traffic as more people worked from home and non-essential stores and hospitality firms remained closed.

But there was major congestion at the first phase of lifting the works in October 2021, as traffic on Nicholas Street was reduced to one lane from Grosvenor Roundabout to the Watergate Street junction, to allow for central reservation works and the reinstallation of traffic lights.

This was because Nuns Road and Castle Drive were also closed to traffic as part of the works.

Nuns Road reopened to traffic shortly before Christmas 2021, but Castle Drive is to remain closed a little while longer, due to complications with drainage works.

Traffic can access the Little Roodee Car Park from Grosvenor Road, and can access the University of Chester's Riverside Campus from Lower Bridge Street, but the road closure section will remain in place until March.

The reason for one of the largest roadwork schemes Cheshire West and Chester Council has carried out in many years is for the installation of a new rain and surface water drainage tunnel in the city centre.

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."

The council added: "We are doing all we can to keep traffic flowing and minimise any inconvenience while we make the transition back to normal traffic flows in the city centre.

"We believe any short-term disruption has been worth it in the long run and has enabled major new and improved city centre facilities such as a new market, a new cinema, parking and public square as part of the first phase of the Northgate development, along with further developments to replace the Forum Shopping Centre.

"These will build on the success of Storyhouse and boost Chester's position as a leading retail, business and tourism destination."

Councillor Karen Shore, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member – Environment, Highways & Strategic Transport said: “I would like to thank everyone impacted by the drainage tunnel works for their patience and understanding, and I appreciate they have caused significant delays and inconvenience to many, particularly while the recent highway reinstatement works have been underway.

“I know the removal of the Clockwise diversions will be very welcome news; although regrettably the effects of the Covid pandemic on skilled labour and material shortages have resulted in these works taking longer than planned.

"However, the long-term benefits to the city for residents and visitors will be huge and I am eagerly looking forward to the opening of the Northgate development later this year.”