Cheshire West and Chester Council has again arranged a roadworks embargo for the Christmas period to keep the festive season running smoothly.
There will be a suspension of all non-essential roadworks in Chester city centre and all major towns and major retail outlet areas across the borough from 11.59pm on Sunday 19 November 2023 until 11.59pm on Sunday 7 January 2024.
The suspension will cover Chester city centre, Ellesmere Port, Frodsham, Neston, Northwich and Winsford town centres. Only urgent and emergency repairs will be granted permission to work on the road network in these areas.
The Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Strategic Transport, Councillor Karen Shore said: “At this time of year we of course see a significant increase in both the number of vehicles and pedestrians in and around our major shopping centres, in the run-up to and through the Christmas and New Year periods.
“A roadworks embargo has worked well in previous years and will help visitors and shoppers access the borough’s wonderful shopping and leisure facilities by keeping traffic running smoothly.
“Our Streetworks team may, of course, need to grant permits for work on the road network during these dates if emergency repairs are needed to ensure the supply of vital utility services to homes and businesses.”
Chester’s Park and Ride is a great way of getting into Chester this Christmas and it is celebrating its 40th birthday this month. It costs just £2.50 per person with a variety of other ticket options available for groups and young people.
It operates every day with buses running every 10 to 12 minutes on Mondays to Saturdays and every 15 minutes on Sundays and bank holidays. Late night extended hours begin for Christmas shopping on Thursday 23 November, continuing every Thursday until Christmas. More information and timetables are available on the Council’s website.
Public transport and other alternative modes of transport like cycling or walking; or traveling at less busy times of the day all help to avoid congestion and limiting the impact to journeys.
The suspension only applies to the borough’s road network, however the Council’s Highways Service is working with the other network operators, including National Highways and Network Rail, to minimise the impact of any proposed works on their own networks, through promoting off-peak and night-time working.
