Roads and Transport

Roads and Transport

Chester fits into the normal pattern of Roman bases - rectangular with rounded corners and on each of the four sides a gateway giving access to the major streets. The Roman army transformed the countryside as roads were constructed which were largely for the movement of troops and state officials but were also available for use by the civilian population.

Once the Romans had departed,the survival of much of their fortress meant that the principal streets were retained and became the main thoroufares of the Saxon & Medieval city, with perimeter roads giving access to various defences. Chester was a focus of communications,being a seaport and the centre of government, so many roads converged on the city, although the only crossing over the Dee at that time was the Old Dee Bridge. In Tudor and Stuart times, parishes were responsible for the upkeep of the roads within their boundaries - this became more difficult by the 17thC when wheeled carts and waggons were replacing packhorses and people began to travel more in carriages. This brought about the introduction of the turnpike roads, where tolls were paid by the travellers themselves.

The first London to Chester coach started in 1657 and was running three times a weeek by 1673, taking four days for the journey.By the middle of the 18thC, various inn proprietors controlled the city's coaching services. The most popular coaching inns were the White Lion and the Feathers. In 1834 there were four services daily to London, Bangor, Birrmingham, Liverpool and many others.

The decline of coach travel was due to the coming of the railways - the General Station was opened in 1848 and a new road- City Road - linked it to the town centre. By 1850 there were six railway companies operating here with 400,000 passengers using them. The ever increasing number of visitors further enhanced Chester's reputation as a retailing centre with Eastgate Street being compared to London's Regent Street.

Passengers from the station either had to walk in to town or take a horse drawn cab. However, in 1878 the Chester Tramways Company was formed and standard gauge rails were laid from the station to Saltney. Its one horse cars were painted crimson and cream and were much safer than a horse and carriage on the uneven and potholed roads. At the beginning of the 20thC these were replaced by a dozen electric trams but in 1930 these too ceased and both single and double decker buses took their place.

With the invention of the internal combustion engine and the advent of motor transport, Chester again became a road centre and traffic congestion in the city centre was very heavy. The solution to this was found in the construction of by-pass and ring roads to divert the volume to the outskirts.

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