FRUSTRATED councillor Sam Naylor wants to know when Northwich town centre’s “traffic chaos” will finally end.

Clr Naylor is to seek answers to the question this week from the area highways boss at Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWAC).

He will also seek assurances the town can cope with the extra traffic which will be generated by new housing developments and Memorial Court.

Traffic was nose to tail on Tuesday morning across Town Bridge into Northwich and along London Road to the junction with Watling Street.

The bridge was down to one lane, and traffic was also down to a single lane in London Road, and in Chester Way alongside Memorial Court.

One of the drivers caught up in the congestion was Clr Naylor, from Hartford, who took 20 minutes to travel from the top of Castle Hill over the bridge just before 9am on Monday.

He was on his way to work in Lostock, and his frustration with the tailback was exacerbated by the sight of no work going on.

Clr Naylor fears congestion caused by the roadworks could drive Northwich people to shop elsewhere, and is concerned there may not be enough town centre parking spaces for people wanting to visit Memorial Court.

Clr was elected to CWAC in July after winning a by-election for the Castle and Winnington ward.

“It took me 20 minutes to get from the top of the hill to crossing the bridge, because yet again it was down to one lane across the bridge,” he said.

“I was dismayed to see there was no work going on, and barriers covering a perfectly sound surface. Do CWAC not realise the adverse economic effect all this congestion causes?

“I have a meeting with the man from CWAC with responsibility for roads in our area, and will be asking when all this town centre traffic chaos will finally end.

“Given all the housing development in Winnington, Hartford and elsewhere I will also be asking if CWAC is confident the town will be equipped with a traffic management system to cope with the increase in traffic.

“It is all very well investing in Memorial Court and Barons Quay, but if it is a nightmare to get into the town people will go elsewhere.”

Another motorist caught up in the congestion was Michael Rosa, student clinical dental technician at MF Rosa denture clinic in Witton Street.

He said it normally takes him 10 minutes to drive into town from Cuddington, but on Tuesday morning it took 70 minutes, and traffic heading for Town Bridge was backed up as far as Beach Road.

A council spokesman said: “The works to make permanent the gyratory system will be fundamentally completed by Friday, September 26.

“The three new pedestrian crossings, at the same location as the subway, are expected to be completed during October, and we expect motorists will then begin to see the benefit of the improved junction layouts, with freer flowing traffic.”

The spokesman said the Town Bridge situation was a difficult junction to manage, especially when paving and kerbing works required a lane closure.

“We have instructed the contractor to ensure two lanes are open on the Dane Street and Castle/Winnington Hill approach wherever possible,” he said.

“Perhaps at times it may have appeared no work was under way, but we would assure motorists the closure will have been in place out of necessity.”

He said the broader aim of the gyratory system was to “ready the town” for predicted traffic growth over coming decades, taking into account current and future developments, and regarding Memorial Court there would be plenty of car parking as the existing Memorial Hall car park will be retained.