Further security arrangements to protect Christmas shoppers

Chester’s bollards will continue to be raised in the final days before Christmas to offer added security for shoppers looking for a last-minute gift or enjoying a festive gathering.

The bollards at the Town Hall Kiosk, St. John’s Street, Bridge Street, and Watergate Street are currently raised in the ‘up’ position, seven days a week, from 10.30am to 10pm until the closure of the Christmas market on 22 December.

The Council, working in partnership with Cheshire Police, has decided to leave them up until 8pm each night on 23 and 24 December as the city centre is expected to be busy with Christmas shoppers and large crowds.

Councillor Karen Shore, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Strategic Transport, said: “With the wider security issues nationally and the threat level increasing to severe, we must ensure crowds in the city’s central streets continue to be protected every day.

“We expect Chester city centre to be very busy with Christmas shoppers in the final two days before Christmas. Therefore, we have taken the decision to continue having the bollards raised in the up position in the evenings for another two days to offer further protection to the public of Chester and the business community within this area of the city.

“Our improved parking and support services offer for blue badge holders and disabled people remains in place for these two additional days.”

Chief Superintendent Martin Cleworth said: “The bollards help to ensure our streets are safer for shoppers, visitors, residents and workers and we continue to work with our partners, the council, businesses and the public to disrupt criminal and terrorist activity.

“These bollards are just part of an overall plan across Cheshire together with overt armed policing to further enhance our safety measures which I hope is reassuring for all, especially in the run up to Christmas, which as we know, is our busiest time for the city.

“We have said for many years that communities defeat terrorism, and the help and support we get from the public is a vital part of that. So we would urge everyone to remain vigilant, and if you do see anything suspicious then please report it, in confidence, to police via 101 or 999 or the Anti-terrorist hotline or gov.uk/ACT. It won’t ruin lives, but it may well save them.”

The only vehicles allowed access during these hours up to 24 December will be for exceptional and pre-arranged circumstances. These include bridal cars attending weddings at the Grosvenor Hotel, funeral cars attending funerals at Chester Cathedral, emergency service vehicles, emergency utility works vehicles and Council waste collection vehicles.

Blue badge holders, hotel guests, businesses, deliveries and residents will not have access during these hours. There is a range of alternative parking available in multi storey car parks, Hamilton Place, Frodsham Street, Weaver Street and on roads outside the central streets for blue badge holders affected by this change. In addition the improved parking and support services offer for blue badge holders and disabled people will remain in place for these two additional days.

The Council and its partner organisation Dial West Cheshire have the following alternative arrangements to support Blue Badge holders and disabled visitors affected by this announcement.

• Dial West Cheshire Shopmobility 

The opening hours of the Shopmobility service will be extended on a Thursday from 9.30am until 7.30pm (rather than the current closing time of 4.30pm). Users are always encouraged to book in advance but bookings on the day will still be accepted. The Thursday offer will be available on 2, 9, 16, and 23 December and will also align with the city’s Christmas parade programme. The Shopmobility in Chester can be contacted by calling - Chester Shopmobility on 01244 312 626.

• Blue Badge Microchip 

Cheshire West and Chester registered Blue Badge holders can register to have a micro-chip applied to their badge for four hours free access to any Council pay on foot car parks. Details can be found at the following link: Car parks in Chester (cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk).
To apply for access via our ANPR (Automated Number Plate Recognition) system please email our parking services team at:

parking@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk.

• Disabled Parking Spaces 

There are car parks dedicated to Blue Badge holders at Frodsham Street, Chester, CH1 3JJ and Hamilton Place, Chester, CH1 2BG and there is an allowance for Blue Badge holders to park on yellow lines for up to three hours.

• Disabled Drop Off

Blue Badge vehicles will be permitted access to drop off at the night-time taxi rank and adjacent bays on Northgate Street opposite the new Northgate development (old library entrance). Traffic management operatives will be instructed to permit vehicles through the coned off entrance to Northgate Street at Hunter Street to drop off a passenger(s) in a safe city centre location. Please note that a valid Blue Badge must be presented to be permitted to drop off.