Works on the Chapel Street East (Phase 1) and New Bailey Gateway (Phase 2) scheme is due to be completed on Monday 1 December 2025.
Important notice: Night-time roadworks on Chapel Street
Road resurfacing and traffic signal upgrades are due to take place at night between Monday 29 September and Friday 31 October.
As we are nearing the end of the project, we need to resurface the roads we have been working on. This includes:
- Resurfacing the road for a smoother, safer surface
- Applying a high-friction coating
- Repainting white lines and other road markings
What does the work involve?
To resurface the road, we need to prepare it by removing some of the existing surface before applying the new one. This is the noisiest bit of the work. We also need to reset grid covers and manhole lids as well as repaint white lines and other road markings. These works will be less disruptive.
What is ‘the noisiest work’?
The noisiest work includes the removal of the top road surface and any use of mechanical ‘breakers’ or ‘saw cutting’ for breaking out hard materials like concrete. We aim to finish this work by 12am on every shift, wherever possible. Please note other types of disruption after 12am may include reverse beepers, running engines and flashing lights.
Why is the work happening at night?
As the works require road closures, they have been carefully planned to minimise disruption to local traffic and the wider network, ensuring people can get home from work during the busiest times without having to follow a diversion or additional delays. We believe it is the most effective and balanced approach that allows the works to be completed relatively quickly with some breaks for residents, but without causing a gridlock on the highway network.
Daytime traffic restrictions and working hours
The current one-way closure on Chapel Street (from Manchester to Salford) will stay in place until full project completion on 1 December. Bury Street is now permanently closed to vehicles.
Working hours are:
- Monday to Friday: 8am to 8pm
- Saturday: 8.30am to 8pm
- Sunday: 9.30am to 8pm
Will bus services be affected?
Some bus services will be diverted during night shifts. Affected stops will be suspended during those hours. For full details, visit www.tfgm.com.
Access will be maintained except:
- Booth Street, Barlow’s Croft and Clowes Street closed from 8pm Friday 24 October to 6.30am Saturday 25 October
Works schedule
The resurfacing will take place as follows:
Bloom Street and Chapel Street

Road closures:
- Chapel Street (Trinity Way to New Bailey Street)
- Bloom Street
Dates:
- Tuesday 28 October 11pm to 6am
Diversion:
Trinity way - Irwell Street - New Quay Street - Gartside Street - Bridge Street
Access:
- Bridge Street bus gate suspended during diversion
- Bloom Street access maintained with possible delays
- Chapel Street eastbound (New Bailey Street to Blackfriars) remains open
Bloom Street

Road closure:
Dates:
- Thursday 16 October 2am to 6am
Access:
- Bloom Street access maintained
- Chapel Street eastbound remains open
Gore Street, New Bailey Street and Spaw Street

Road closures:
- Gore Street
- New Bailey Street
- Spaw Street
Dates:
- Wednesday 15 October 9pm to 2am
- Wednesday 29 October 11pm to 6am
Diversion:
- New Bailey Street: Gartside Street - New Quay Street - Irwell Street - Trinity Way
- Spaw Street: Quay Street - Brown Cross Street
Access:
- Chapel Street eastbound remains open
- Left turn ban from Trinity Way onto Chapel Street and Chapel Street onto Bloom Street will be suspended on the above dates
- Gore Street exit maintained with possible delays
Spaw Street to Dearman’s Place West

Road closures:
- Chapel Street between Spaw Street and Dearman’s Place West
Dates:
- 8pm Monday 20 October – 6.30am Tuesday 21 October
- 8pm Tuesday 21 October – 6.30am Wednesday 22 October
Diversion:
Bridge Street - Gartside Street - New Quay Street - Irwell Street - Trinity Way - Blackfriars Road
Access:
- All access maintained
- Quay Street access via Browncross Street only, exit via Spaw Street only
- Two-way traffic flow on Chapel Street in all areas not affected by the road closure
Dearman’s Place East to Blackfriars Road

Road closure:
- Chapel Street between Dearman’s Place East and Blackfriars Road
- Booth Street, Barlow’s Croft and Clowes Street*
Dates:
- 8pm Wednesday 22 October – 6.30am Thursday 23 October
- 8pm Thursday 23 October – 6.30am Friday 24 October
- 8pm Friday 24 October – 6.30am Saturday 25 October*
Diversion:
Bridge Street - Gartside Street - New Quay Street - Irwell Street - Trinity Way - Blackfriars Road
Access:
- All access maintained on first two nights
- *Booth Street, Barlow’s Croft and Clowes Street closed from 8pm Friday 24 October to 6:30am Saturday 25 October
- Two-way traffic flow on Chapel Street in all areas not affected by the road closure
Traffic signals upgrades
We’re upgrading signals at two junctions: Chapel Street/ New Bailey Street/ Bloom Street junction:
- Chapel Street/ New Bailey Street/ Bloom Street
- Temporary lights removed
- New signals installed and switched on Monday 27 October
- Chapel Street/ Blackfriars:
- Existing signals upgraded
- Temporary signals in place Tuesday 28 – Friday 31 October
- Manually operated between 7am–7pm
- New signals switched on Friday 31 October
Weather delays
We sincerely apologise for any disruption the upcoming night-time roadworks may cause, particularly to residents living nearby. We understand that works during these hours can be inconvenient, and we want to reassure you that this schedule has been carefully considered to minimise daytime congestion and support safe access to the city centre. Balancing the needs of residents, commuters, and businesses has been central to our planning, and we truly appreciate your patience and understanding as we carry out these essential improvements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will there be any side road closures?
Throughout the construction, we will need to close the side roads to complete essential works. Below you can find indicative dates for when each side street will be affected. Please note the dates are subject to change, depending on weather conditions and underground excavations progress.
- Bury Street – permanent closure from 5 May 2025
Why do the works require a full closure and cannot be done in sections with temporary signals instead?
The current one-way closure remains the safest and most efficient way to complete the works, balancing the needs of residents, businesses, pedestrians, cyclists, and public transport in a constrained city centre environment.
The consistent approach also avoids confusion for motorists who would otherwise get caught up in frequently changing arrangements, unable to follow the same routes from one day to the next. This would increase congestion and frustration for all road users.
The one-way closure also significantly reduces the works’ overall duration as each working day can be dedicated to carrying out the required works, without the need to spend several hours each day altering the arrangements, such as changing signal timings, moving signs, signal equipment and barriers etc.
What mitigation has been put in place to alleviate congestion during the works?
A number of changes to traffic signals have been implemented at key junctions to improve traffic flows.
The bus lane on Chapel Street leading onto Victoria Street has been suspended for the duration of the works to provide an additional relief route for traffic heading out of Manchester.
We continue to monitor the impact of these changes and their effectiveness.
Do emergency vehicles have adequate access?
Emergency services are aware of the plans on Chapel Street and we will continue to engage with them over the course of the construction.
It’s important to highlight that whilst the current traffic restrictions on Chapel Street provide a relatively narrow corridor for vehicles, opening it any wider would pose a serious risk to the public. The closed off section accommodates the movements of heavy machinery travelling up and down this stretch and provides a safe zone for the workforce to carry out the necessary excavations and construction, without interacting with passing cars, cyclists or pedestrians.
Emergency vehicles can also access traffic-free routes, such as the tram tracks on Cross Street, to get around congested areas faster.
Is anyone monitoring traffic flows?
All key junctions around the works area are CCTV monitored 24/7 by TfGM’s Operational Control Centre. Their engineers are able to make adjustments to signals’ operation remotely, if required.
Why is there a closure on Bury Street?
The permanent closure of Bury Street forms part of the overall project plans. By closing off the access, new continuous footways and cycle lanes can be built, making active travel safer, easier and more accessible. This element of the scheme’s design was included in the public consultation which took place in 2019.
Throughout the works, Bury Street will remain closed as this area is used for material and machinery storage, until construction in the area takes place.
Journey planning and traffic updates
We encourage all road users to plan their to journey to the city centre in advance and check for any traffic alerts or mass events which may cause disruption on the road network by visiting:
What is the scheme?
Chapel Street East is located in a prominent position within Salford city centre and acts as a gateway to Manchester city centre. The area is undergoing a period of transformational change and regeneration that has already established it as an attractive and dynamic place to live and work. The vision for the area encompasses the need to create an accessible and integrated neighbourhood that joins together New Bailey with Greengate and connects the surrounding neighbourhoods, such as Trinity and Irwell Riverside, to the core of the city centre.
The works are part of a long-term plan to build high quality, safer pedestrian and cycling provision across the city centre. Public realm improvements will see the installation of rain gardens, planting beds and new trees introduced. There will also be upgraded surfaces and new street furniture to create a more inviting and dynamic space for all to enjoy.
The scheme will use a ‘complete streets’ approach to rebalance the space in favour of pedestrians and cyclists while also catering for buses, general traffic and loading with continuous cycle tracks and footways, new greenery and sustainable urban drainage systems.
When will the works take place?
The works will take place from Tuesday 22 April until Monday 1 December 2025. Traffic restrictions will be in place from Monday 5 May until the works’ completion.
What are the traffic restrictions?
During the construction there will be temporary traffic management in place. From 22 April we will start preparing the area for the construction works and will need to remove the existing cycle lane wands and some road markings. From Monday 5 May there will be a one-way closure on Chapel Street heading towards Salford (westbound), between Blackfriars Road and New Bailey, until Monday 1 December 2025, please see map below.
Traffic travelling towards Manchester (eastbound) will not be affected. Residents’ and businesses’ access will remain open at all times, however there may be some temporary changes to the access routes with diversions in place.
Throughout the construction some of the side roads on Chapel Street will also need to be closed for short periods of time. An alternative access route will be provided wherever possible. If this cannot be facilitated, we will ensure full details about the closure are communicated to the affected residents and businesses ahead of time. We will also endeavour to install these closures during quieter times, such as weekends, to minimise disruption.
Towards the end of the project we will also need to resurface the road, repaint white lines and apply other road markings. This will require some additional traffic restrictions, we will provide the full details in due course.
What’s the diversion?
The main diversion will be via Blackfriars Road and Trinity Way, and will be clearly signposted when the one-way closure on Chapel Street is in place, please see map below.
Access for residents and businesses
Residents’ and businesses’ access will be maintained at all times, however there may be some hold-ups while the workers move equipment out of the way and make the area safe to pass. We may need to close some of the side roads which may restrict vehicular access for short periods of time, this will be communicated with plenty of notice.
Will bus services be affected?
Buses will continue to operate on Chapel Street eastbound and New Bailey throughout the works but there may be changes to bus stop locations. For full details and information regarding any specific services, please visit www.tfgm.com
Compound location
The works’ main compound and offices will be located on East Ordsall Lane, just before the junction with Clermont Way. There will also be a materials storage site on Cook Street and a smaller site with welfare facilities on Bury Street, under the rail bridge. Please note access to Bury Street from Chapel Street will be closed permanently as part of the scheme from 5 May 2025.
How to get more information?
If you have any questions or would like to receive future updates on this project from Salford City Council, please email MajorWorks@salford.gov.uk
You can receive updates through WhatsApp, through the works' channel.
For any issues at the construction site or with the temporary traffic signals, please contact one of these 24/7 numbers:
- Louis McDowall - 07302 006 888
- Brendon Cloherty - 07813 715482
Downloadable documents
If you are unable to view documents of these types, our downloads page provides links to viewing software.
This page was last updated on 15 October 2025