Lib Dem council to hold emergency roads debate
LEADER SAYS ‘NOTHING IS OFF THE TABLE’
NEW city council leader Mike Ross will hold an “emergency roads summit” on congestion issues in Hull.
At yesterday’s annual council meeting in the Guildhall, he said he was also writing to transport secretary Grant Shapps to invite him to visit the city to see some of the main traffic issues first-hand. Councillor Ross said his new administration was open to new ideas on ways to tackle congestion and added “nothing is off the table”.
He said: “Much has been made of the situation concerning Hull’s roads. There has been much frustration on this issue for the past few years.
“Whatever your view on this subject, clearly the current situation isn’t good enough. We have too much gridlock on Hull’s roads and not enough people able to travel by alternative means. More must be done to change this, so we will get to work straight away on this.
“It is our plan to invite a wide and varied list of interested groups to get round the table and discuss what can be done to bring about the change Hull needs on this matter.
“We want to hear from those who this affects most and the way they want to see the problem addressed. Nothing is off the table as far as we are concerned.”
Cllr Ross said the Government also needed to share responsibility for the current situation on the city’s roads, having awarded emergency funding for new cycle and bus lanes at the start of the pandemic, but having also threatened to withdraw the cash if schemes were not completed within a tight deadline which allowed for little or no public consultation.
He said: “We will be writing to the Government on this matter. A letter will go to the transport secretary Grant Shapps inviting him to come and see the problems the city faces for himself.”
But opposition Labour leader Councillor Daren Hale warned him: “There is no pain-free way to upgrade our roads, whether you like it or not.”
He said unless the new Lib Dem cabinet continued to support Labour’s Active Travel programme, any future government funding bids would “go straight in the bin” because ministers also backed Active Travel initiatives such as bus and cycle lanes.
After being officially confirmed as council leader following this month’s election success for the Lib Dems, Cllr Ross also addressed the cost of living crisis, pledging to do all he could to help people. He said: “With this cost of living crisis unfolding, we know times for many are going to be tougher than we have known in a lifetime or more.
“There will be a need for the council to show leadership across the city through these challenges ahead.
“I have asked the council to start reviewing what more it can do to help the people of Hull.
“Whether it is looking at fees and charges or other ways the council can help, we cannot sit back when times are tough. The council is not able to fix this problem, but it cannot simply watch the residents of Hull go through the challenges ahead without doing all it can to help either.
“We will work with anyone prepared to do what is needed to help the people of Hull. From those who work at the council, the voluntary groups, the businesses, MPS and the government, we want to see a Team Hull approach to addressing the problems.”
The first major row between the main parties erupted shortly afterwards when the Lib Dems used their new majority to approve plans to reduce the number of scrutiny committees at the council. Labour claimed the move would reduce transparency and accountability.
At the same meeting, Councillor Christine Randall was elected as the new Lord Mayor of Hull with Councillor Kalvin Neal being elected as her deputy. An official installation ceremony will be held next week.