Work continues this week to make Chester’s roads more cycle friendly

Overnight road closures will be needed for the installation of experimental bus and cycle lanes in Chester, starting this week.

There will be a road closure on Grosvenor Road, between Grosvenor Roundabout and Overleigh Roundabout between 8pm until 6am on Tuesday 11 August for approximately three nights.

New cycle lanes will be created by narrowing traffic lanes on the bridge and red and white cylinders will be installed approximately half a metre from the kerb to help pedestrians pass safely.

An experimental 20 mph speed limit will be in force between the two roundabouts.

Work on Liverpool Road will utilise existing overnight road closures, to minimise disruption to motorists, during the week beginning Monday 17 August.  Liverpool Road will be closed (except for access) while the work takes place from 8pm to 6am, city bound and outbound on Thursday 20 August.  Diversions will be in place as bus and cycle lanes will be introduced on the A5116 Liverpool Road between Dale Camp roundabout and Beechway/Upton Grange crossroads.

Bus and cycle lanes will also be introduced on the A51 Boughton between Spital Walk and Dee lane by The Bars roundabout. The work will take place from Friday 21 August and the A51 will be closed (except for access) for two nights.

Cheshire West and Chester Council secured £161,000 from the Department for Transport to help improve cycling and walking routes in the borough following the Government’s announcement in May on the Emergency Active Travel Grant to help the country emerge from the coronavirus crisis.

The Council's Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Strategic Transport, Councillor Karen Shore said: “Cycling has been growing in popularity, especially whist our roads have been quieter. As traffic slowly returns, we want to make sure our roads are as welcoming as possible for cyclists. 

We want to encourage more cycling and walking to help improve the health and wellbeing of our residents. As more people choose to cycle and leave their car at home this is also supporting our ambition to become a carbon neutral borough by 2045.”

This project follows on from the opening of a new cycle and pedestrian route at Sutton Way in Ellesmere Port last week and work happening in Northwich to refresh cycle lanes.

The Council is keen to promote active travel in the borough and to encourage increased levels of walking and cycling. This is in line with the sustainable travel and health and wellbeing objectives set out in the Council Plan and the Place Plan.  This will also help support our ambition to tackle the climate emergency and be a carbon neutral borough.