Major road upgrade ‘will mean pedestrians will struggle to cross’

RAMBLERS CLAIM £393m plans to upgrade a stretch of the A63 in Hull will leave pedestrians struggling to find somewhere to cross in future.

The current plan is to take all crossings out in a half-a-mile stretch on Castle Street and put in a new £12m bridge, with the only other option for pedestrians to walk through an underpass, which the group says would be “totally off-putting” at night.

Campaigners will urge Highways England at a public session next week to at least keep a second crossing over Castle Street, which divides the from the Marina.

Members of the East Yorkshire and Derwent Area, which includes the Hull and Holderness group, say the “simply unacceptable” proposals do not take account of the growth in foot traffic to the Marina, which will rise further city centre when the England coast path along the Humber is completed.

Dr Peter Ayling, the president of East Yorkshire and Derwent Area, said members tried to put their point at a meeting earlier this year, but were ignored.

A previous plan proposed building a second bridge in the Market Place area where there is currently a light-controlled crossing, but this was ruled out for aesthetic reasons as it would spoil the setting of the landmark “King Billy” statue.

Dr Ayling said the plans gave pedestrians a “poor deal”, and added: “One bridge crossing is ridiculous in that length. I think people will struggle to find and use the detour.

“Compared to what else they are spending, a second bridge (on Market Place) would be peanuts, but we would also accept a light controlled crossing.” Highways England has not commented.