Meeting the Traffic Needs of an Ancient City.
Page 14
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TO relieve the stifling traffic congestion in the ancient city of Chester &scheme has been prepared for the construction of a by-pass road to encircle the city. The solution of the road traffic question is becoming exceedingly vital to the city, geographically situated, as it is, at the gateway to North Wales, and it is a matter which is constantly engag ing the earnest and serious attention of the improvement and watch committees of the city council. Eight main roads converge in the centre of the city, and the volume of traffic which passes this point is exceedingly heavy. Moreover, much of it is of a " through " character.
The widening of the main streets round The Cross (the centre in question) would necessitate the demolition of valuable and beautiful buildings, many of which constitute heirlooms of the past, and the solution of the problem on these lines becomes, therefore, out of the question, apart from being financially prohibitive. A ring road, therefore, is being put forward by the town planning committee as the best means of remedying the present state of Affairs. It is held that the construction of this road would enable traffic which is travelling beyond Chester to by-pass the city, thus relieving congestion at The Cross and allow fuller use to be made of the main streets in the vicinity, such as Eastgate Street, Northgate Street and Bridge Street, for local and business purposes. There can be little doubt that the construction of the ring road would materially relieve traffic congestion in the city and divert heavy vehicles from its main streets, for 'through " traffic would proceed via the proposed read until it reached the main road leading to the town of its destination.
For example, vehicles from Manchester travelling to Wrexham would proceed from Tarvin Road via the ring road until they reached Wrexham Road. So far as vehicles from Liverpool bound for
Wrexham and beyond are concerned, although the route along the south-east link would be somewhat greater in length, the time taken on the journey would be considerably less than that occupied in coming through the city, via The Cross, as at present, on acconnt of the ability to travel at a higher speed and the freedom from stoppages which now occur at congested Foints.