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Works on Chapel Street East and New Bailey

Works on the Chapel Street East (Phase 1) and New Bailey Gateway (Phase 2) scheme is due to start construction on 22 April and complete in spring 2026.

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.

What’s happening?

We’re finishing work between Trinity Way and New Bailey Street. To complete this phase, we will:

  • Resurface the road for a smoother, safer surface
  • Apply a high-friction coating
  • Repaint white lines and other road markings

Later, we’ll also resurface the remaining sections of the scheme.

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.

When and where will the works take place?

We will be working in different areas between Trinity Way and Spaw Street on various nights. Details of affected roads, dates, diversions, and access changes are included below.

Daytime traffic restrictions and working hours

The current one-way closure on Chapel Street (from Manchester to Salford) will stay in place throughout the works. Bury Street is now permanently closed to vehicles. Working hours are:

  • Monday to Friday: 8am to 6pm

Occasionally, weekend work will be required as outlined below. This is subject to additional approvals from Salford City Council’s Streetworks Team. We will share updates on the WhatsApp channel whenever weekend work is scheduled.

  • Saturday: 8.30am to 3pm
  • Sunday: 9.30am to 3pm

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.

Resident access

Access will be maintained except for:

  • Bloom Street: No access on Thursday 2 October, 9pm to 12am
  • Gore Street: No exit on Friday 3 October, 12am to 6am

At other times, vehicles can pass through, but there may be short delays while workers move equipment. Marshals will be on site to support emergency access.

Drop-in sessions

Come speak to us if you have questions:

  • Date: Monday 22 September
  • Times: 1pm to 2pm and 6pm to 7pm
  • Location: Sacred Trinity Church, Chapel St, Salford M3 5DW

Works schedule

The resurfacing will be split into three areas:

Area 1: Bloom Street and Chapel Street

Map for Bloom Street and Chapel Street showing road closure and diversion
 
Road closures:

  • Chapel Street (Trinity Way to New Bailey Street)
  • Bloom Street 

Dates:

  • Monday 29 September 9pm to 6am
  • Wednesday 1 October 9pm to 6am 
  • Tuesday 14 October 9pm 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

Area 2: Bloom Street

Map of Bloom Street showing road closure
 
Road closure:

  • Bloom Street 

Dates:

  • Tuesday 30 September 9pm to 12am
  • Thursday 2 October 9pm to 12am (no access except emergency)
  • Thursday 16 October 2am to 6am 

Access:

  • Bloom Street access maintained except for three hours on 2 October
  • Chapel Street eastbound remains open

Area 3: Gore Street, New Bailey Street and Spaw Street

Map of Gore Street, New Bailey Street and Spaw Street showing road closure, diversion and no left turns
 
Road closures:

  • Gore Street
  • New Bailey Street
  • Spaw Street

Dates:

  • Wednesday 1 October 12am to 6am 
  • Friday 3 October 12am to 6am (no exit from Gore Street)
  • Wednesday 15 October 9pm to 2am

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 except for full closure on 3 October

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

Work may be delayed due to heavy rain or cold temperatures. Updates will be posted at: www.salford.gov.uk/chapelstreetworks

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.

Why are there no works taking place in the evenings? 

Due to the number of residents living within the works area, the contractor is working the maximum allowed hours to balance the needs of the local people. 

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 spring 2026. 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 early 2026, 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 10 September 2025

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