Driver dies after two-car collision
THE HUMBER Bridge’s chief executive has insisted an ambitious £30m masterplan to turn the landmark into a “much better” attraction than San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge is achievable, despite a previous scheme failing to get off the ground.
The latest plan, which aims to attract an extra 400,000 visitors a year, include the UK’s first musical road, a thrilling ride inspired by a wind turbine and a cradleride under the carriageways.
Phased in over the course of 10 to 12 years, they also include opening up the north anchorage for the first time, fitting an LED lighting scheme to the underneath of the bridge and opening a visitor centre.
The proposals come two years after East Riding councillors rejected plans for a spectacular glass lift ride to the top of the bridge, as part of a scheme including offices and a hotel, which would have cost around £25m.
But chief executive Dr Kevin Moore, formerly director of the National Football Museum in Manchester, said: “The lift was a great idea but it would have been a relatively short visit with one attraction, while what we are developing in time will be 12 to 15 attractions.
“We will become a day destination rather than for a couple of hours and there will always a reason to come back.”
Dr Moore said 50,000 cyclists and 200,000 pedestrians, along with 50,000 people who just come to take a look, already visit the bridge every year.
The masterplan, with its focus on leisure and learning, in particular inspiring future generaGate tions of engineers, should eventually increase that by another 400,000 visitors.
Funding will come from a variety of sources – but not from bridge tolls. Ongoing work will be paid for by revenue generated by the attraction.
He said: “Our mission is to create the best bridge experience in the world.
“In terms of bridge attractions, the other is the Golden in San Francisco – what we create will be much better. The first thing people need to realise that it is a significantly longer and more beautiful bridge than the Golden Gate.
“We need to realise what a hidden gem we have. It is still the longest single span bridge that you can walk and cycle over.
Dr Moore said he understood why people would be sceptical about the plans, because as far back as the early 1980s there had been talk about making it more of a visitor attraction.
He said: “You can have a brilliant plan, but none of it works unless people want to come. That’s why it’s best not to spend it in one go – test the waters, market test, consult people.
“I think everything in the plan is achievable. We will start next summer and then it will grow.”
The masterplan envisages wider development which could take in the Country Park and Hessle and Barton foreshores and aims to generate up to £29m for the local economy over the 10-year development period. It does not include hotels or offices.
Coun David Watson, chairman of the Humber Bridge Board, said: “We are determined that the attraction will be self-funding and profitable from the start. Any part that does not meet this test will either not be developed or will be discounted.”
A motorist has died following a crash involving two vehicles in West Yorkshire.
Police officers were called to the scene of the accident, which happened along the A629 at Penistone Road in Shepley, near Huddersfield, at about 10.45pm on Monday.
A black Toyota Yaris was involved in a collision with a silver Volkswagen Passat.
A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police confirmed yesterday that the driver of the Toyota was taken to hospital for treatment to his injuries, but that he later died.