Drivers’ nightmare as Humber Bridge and M180 closed
MOTORISTS faced a “nightmare journey” on Saturday night after the temporary closure of the Humber Bridge and a closure on the M180.
Bridge managers said roads would close in both directions from 9pm on Saturday, October 9, with the bridge expected to reopen at 7am on Sunday, October 10.
The bridge, which has just celebrated its 40th birthday, has only been closed to traffic twice before in its history.
The authority said the complete closure was necessary for vital maintenance work.
It meant motorists, cyclists and pedestrians would all have to use alternative routes.
But, it would seem, that coupled with a closure on the M180, which Hull Live understands was part of ongoing carriageway improvements, caused a headache for many drivers on Saturday night.
One woman, of Grimsby, had been visiting friends in Leeds and was making her way home when she came across the closures.
“It was a nightmare,” she said. “The slip on the M62 to join the M18 was closed. Then three junctions on the M180 are closed, which is the main road into Grimsby.”
She says she then planned to travel home via the Humber Bridge but says she did not see any signs about the bridge closure until about two minutes before she reached it.
“You get about two minutes from the Humber Bridge and that’s when there was a sign saying it’s closed,” she said.
After circling around the roundabout a couple of times, she pulled into the Wingfield Farm pub car park to try to figure out how she would get home and says many others were also doing the same.
“You could see everyone looking at their phone, looking at their maps, ringing people,” she explained.
The 33-year-old said, after some help from her mum, who rang Humberside Police and Highways England for advice, she managed to get home.
“I had to drive down the A63, up to the M62 and take the slip as though I was going towards Scunthorpe,” she said. “That was when there was finally a diversion.
“I left Leeds at 8.15pm and I got home at 11.30pm. I was really upset because I just didn’t know what I was going to do.”
The woman, who was travelling on her own and needed to get home to her dog, said it seemed like “madness” that both closures were in place at the same time.
“I am not a nervous driver at all,” she said. “I was upset because I was getting stressed out about my dog.”
Meanwhile one man said he faced a “nightmare journey” on Saturday night too.
“Nightmare journey home last night for people who went to Hull Fair,” he said.
“With the Humber Bridge closed and diverted via A63 then M18 only to be greeted with the M180 closed from Junction 1 to 3.
“Diverted again on to A18 to Scunthorpe. One hour 45 minutes later I arrived home.”
This weekend was chosen for the work on the Humber Bridge due to weather forecast conditions being suitable for the work to be carried out successfully.
Delaying to a later date could not be relied on as “we move towards winter” said bridge managers.
Hull Live reported earlier this week how the work on the bridge included changing two bearings at the Barton end of the Humber Bridge which connect the bridge deck to the towers and helps carry the weight of the bridge and traffic.
The bearings also allow the bridge to move in response to the wind and temperature.
The work was brought forward after the bridge was hit by 80mph winds during Storm Ciara in February 2020.
Ahead of the closure, Andrew Arundel, chief operating officer at the Humber Bridge, said: “We appreciate that closing the bridge at any point will cause inconvenience to some, but by choosing to do it between the hours of 9pm and 7am on a weekend, our aim is to minimise disruption as far as possible.”
Humber Bridge News Tweeted at 4.27am on Sunday to say the bridge was open.
“The Humber Bridge is currently open to all traffic, except for abnormal loads wider than 4 meters (13.1ft) or heavier than 44 tons in both directions.
“Please check and plan your visit through the Esdal 2 website before making your journey.”