Cheshire West and Chester Council is submitting a bid for funding to make essential repairs to two bridges.

The cabinet will be asked to approve an application to the Department for Transport's Structures Fund, seeking up to £37.3 million of grant funding to enable remedial works to Nicholas Street Viaduct in Chester and Winsford Station bridge.

Built in 1966, Nicholas Street Viaduct is a 300m-long post-tensioned viaduct that carries the Chester inner ring road and spans over land, the Holyhead-Crewe rail mainline and the Shropshire Union canal.

Inspections have revealed that without timely intervention, the structure is highly likely to become subject to significant traffic restrictions, with a risk of full closure by 2030.

As such, the application will stress that closure of the bridge would necessitate concurrent closure of the railway and canal corridors below, magnifying the wider impacts.

Councillor Karen Shore, deputy leader of the council and cabinet member for transport and highways, said: "We manage and maintain many highways structures.

"The new government Structures Fund from the DfT has been set up for exactly the issues we have identified and we are pleased to have this opportunity to bid for this much needed funding.

"Both Nicholas Street Viaduct and Winsford Station bridge have been highlighted as the highest risk Council owned structures in need of major maintenance.

"In February 2025, we allocated an increased capital budget to allow detailed inspections to be carried out on these structures."

The Department for Transport Structures Fund was launched in April 2026 to support the repair, strengthening and replacement of existing local highway structures, including bridges, tunnels, flyovers and associated assets.

Funding criteria allows for one scheme to be proposed, and in exceptional circumstances a second scheme can also be submitted.

The Winsford Station bridge is therefore proposed as an exceptional case justifying a second submission due to its current condition, significance, potential impact on traffic and national rail network.

Following recent investigations, the council is not allowing special order abnormal loads over the bridge.

The inspections are progressing on the top of the bridge with lane closures in July.

Funding decisions are expected to be announced in Autumn 2026. Successful schemes will be required to complete all funded works by March 2030

If successful, this bid will require the council to match fund the investment with up to £4.13 million of council resources that have been set aside for this purpose in the capital programme.