PHASE 1 – August 11 to September 1: Lower Bridge Street, Castle Drive, Old Dee Bridge and Handbridge.

Jul 18 2008 by Ben Coulbeck, Chester Chronicle

Old Dee Bridge will be closed from the junction of Mill Street in Handbridge to Lower Bridge Street at the junction of Duke Street and the access to Castle Drive will be closed. Access for pedestrians and cyclists will be maintained at all times.

Traffic will be diverted from Handbridge at the junction of Queens Park Road via Overleigh Road, Overleigh Roundabout, Grosvenor Road and Grosvenor Street. Traffic travelling from the city centre towards Handbridge will be diverted via Grosvenor Street, Grosvenor Road and Overleigh Road. Traffic entering Lower Bridge Street will exit via Duke Street, Albion Street and Volunteer Street or Castle Street.

During this phase of the work, 12 parking spaces outside the Bear and Billet pub in Lower Bridge Street will be closed. Cheshire County Council is currently considering relaxing restrictions on parking on the single yellow line between Shipgate Street and Castle Street to provide alternative parking spaces.

PHASE 2 – September 2-29: Olave Street to the junction of Lower Bridge Street and Duke Street.

Lower Bridge Street, the Old Dee Bridge and Handbridge will be opened to one way traffic heading out of the city only. There will be no left turn at Bridge Gate into Lower Bridge Street. Duke Street and Olave Street will have left turn only restrictions in place and Shipgate Street will have a right turn only restriction in place.

The diversion route from Handbridge established for phase 1 will remain in place.

PHASE 3 – September 30-November 11: Olave Street to Bridge Street.

Lower Bridge Street, the Old Dee Bridge and Handbridge will remain open to outbound traffic only but two way traffic may be restored during this phase of the work, providing a safe working distance can be maintained for engineers.

Some work will be carried out outside the Heritage Centre in Bridge Street and a pedestrian island at the junction of Bridge Street will be temporarily removed. Engineers will aim to carry out most of the work in this location between 6pm and midnight to minimise impact on pedestrians and deliveries to city centre shops.