A main bridge linking Chester city centre with Handbridge has been fully reopened after essential works were completed slightly ahead of schedule.

Previously, we reported that Old Dee Bridge was due to close to traffic for "around 12 days", according to Cheshire West and Chester Council, as works took place to replace outdated traffic lights and resurface the road and pavement.

A full closure of the bridge began on February 19, with traffic taking a detour over Grosvenor Bridge, and pedestrians going via either Grosvenor Bridge or the Queens Park Suspension Bridge.

The reopened Old Dee Bridge.

The reopened Old Dee Bridge.

Congestion was reported on the evening of the first day of works, not helped by an incident on the A55 that day, while traffic has been busy on Nicholas Street, Grosvenor Road, Hough Green, Lache Lane and Wrexham Road this week as schools returned from the half-term break in most English schools.

But on the afternoon of February 29, the bridge has now fully reopened to both traffic and pedestrians. For the past few days, only the pavement had been reopened following its resurfacing.

The old traffic lights were said by CWaC to "have reached the end of their operational lifespan and are in urgent need of replacement."

The replacement ones installed at both ends of the single-lane bridge are low energy and fitted with cameras which can detect if any traffic jumps a red light.

In the event that does happen – or if a cyclist crosses the lights just as they are about to turn red – the camera will pick that up and automatically relay that information to the lights on the other side of the bridge, delaying its transition from red to green to reduce the likelihood of a collision.