DESPITE the petite size of Chester’s perimeter it has gained a national reputation for its superlative ability to cater for tourists.
With fabulous shopping facilities, a wide range of eateries and bars, a luxury race course, a multi campus university and some of the UK’s finest hotels.
Is it any wonder that the traffic in Chester can become somewhat ‘chaotic’ at times.
According to an online source the current population in Central Chester stands at approximately 120,622.
Now, try to realistically consider the sheer volume of traffic that flows through central Chester every day as a result of the mass populations that are drawn in by all of Chester’s many amusements.
The city has in the past gained a well earned reputation for greeting guests with a slow moving trail of traffic.
Thousands of people require access to pass through Hoole Road everyday, it is the main road between the city centre and the M53 motorway, hence the congestion.
However as you pass the Shell Garage on the right hand side of the road and cross the bridge leading into town the congestion seems to disintegrate rapidly.
Which suggests that maybe it is the demand for the petrol station that causes the congestion on Hoole Road.
Hoole road is the main road between the city centre and the M53 motorway, hence the level of demand that there is of for use of it.
So, with mass populations of people in a considerably small city I ask myself: Why aren’t there any petrol stations in Chester?
With the one exception of the Shell garage on Hoole road, but as you can imagine this is normally bedlam with queues for pumps often flowing out into the road obstructing other vehicles.
Gary Davids, 54, a sales director for a national firm commented: “Well you’ve asked the right man. I’m not from Chester I live in Warrington; I do drive through Chester quite a lot though because of my job. I’m a sales director for a national firm… hene why you’ve asked the right man, if anybody knows about petrol stations in the UK it’s me. But I do recall taking notice of the lack of garages that there is in the area. Right up into the Wirral there’s a shortage of them, my cousin lives in Prenton and the nearest garage in his area is almost 4 miles away”.
Chester’s only central petrol station
Amanda Barton, 23, student at The University of Chester added: “I have always wondered why neither of the Tesco branches in Chester has a fuel filling facility, coz’ where I’m from there’s always a petrol station when you go to Tesco.”
Danika Matthews, 24, Student at The University of Chester said: “I hate Hoole Road. Honestly I can’t stand it, the traffic moves so slowly it’s a nightmare. It is literally nearly always the reason behind why I am late for lectures. I set off that little bit earlier everyday because of this road and I’m convinced that the traffic just gets worse and worse as well.”
Lisa Higham , 22, employee at the Shell garage on Hoole Road said: “Well I’ve worked here since I was like 18 and it never use to be so busy, in fact I remember I use to get bored at work because there was nothing to do but not anymore. I think the demand for our station must have increased as a result of the removal of the other garage that use to be in central Chester, it use to be near the university. It was sold about 2 years ago though.”
Liam Bryne, 26, NHS Nurse at the Countess Chester hospital said: “Essentially, this garage is the only provider of fuel in Chetsre city centre and its on the most congested road in the whole of Chester. Filling up is just an effort.”Stuart Johnson, 42. added: “I’m not surprised the stations a bit chaotic with all the students and tourists we have in Chester literally on a daily basis. Saying that one petrol station in the centre of a city isn’t really enough for anywhere actually is it.”
Chester Record 