A BUSY list of roadworks to test the patience of drivers in Chester is due to be revealed to city highway chiefs on Thursday (November 20).Š

The works are planned by utility companies, in connection with new developments or involve maintenance to the highway.

Major schemes will include bridge strengthening on Liverpool Road and Brook Lane, work by BT in the central reservation of Liverpool Road and a Manweb scheme on Liverpool Road, Countess Way and Parkgate Road to provide a new electricity supply to residential and business development at the Countess of Chester Hospital.Š

Area traffic manager Colin Stredder says traffic arrangements for these three schemes, all of which are planned for January to March 2009, will be co-ordinated to minimise their effect.Š

The county council is to carry out resurfacing work on Chester Road, Tarvin and on Whitchurch Road south of the Broxton roundabout during the same period which will also see strengthening on the Grosvenor Bridge.Š

Contractors working for the county council are to carry out fibre optic cable work on Sealand Road, Stadium Way, Cheyney Road, Henshaw Street, Bouverie Street and Walpole Street between January and May and Dee Valley Water is to renew a main on Parkgate Road in Mollington between February and March.Š

A new gas supply is due to be installed to the HQ development on the former police20headquarters site, probably between January and February.Š

Short term schemes include the installation of signs on the inner ring road, work by National Grid on a gas connection at the junction of Nuns Road and Watergate Street, schemes at St Paul's School in Boughton and Woodfield primary in Newton, which are said to have little effect on traffic, refurbishment work by Welsh Water at the junction of Liverpool Road and Countess Way, the renewal of BT manhole covers on Nicholas Street and Grosvenor Road in the city centre, the closure of the footway in St John Street for two weeks in January, the closure of Forest Street to enable a development between January 2009 and March 2010, a one week closure of King Street in January and sewer works by Welsh Water in The Groves from this month (November) to January.Š

Mr Stredder says National Grid and their contractors are proposing to carry out an extensive programme of works between 2009 and 2015 in various parts of the city to update gas supplies.Š

This will begin in Hoole and Boughton next April.Š

“A programme is currently being discussed and input from other utility companies of their future works is being sought so that they can be co-ordinated,” says Mr Stredder.Š

He says residents, businesses and the travelling public will be kept informed.