Mystery operator for bridge facility
TOURISM: A mystery operator is lined up to develop a multimillion pound leisure facility at the Humber Bridge.
The unnamed operator is close to signing on the dotted line for the facility. The chairman of the Bridge Board said headline-making proposals that had been announced would not now happen.
A MYSTERY operator is lined up to develop a multi-million pound leisure facility at the Humber Bridge.
The unnamed operator is close to signing on the dotted line for the facility, with a formal announcement expected in the coming weeks.
It comes as the chairman of the Bridge Board said headline-making proposals announced last year – including the bridge hosting the UK’s first musical road – would not now happen.
Coun Sean Chaytor said the new facility “would invigorate tourism and leisure aspects of the bridge”, adding: “We expect to make formal announcements within the next month.”
It comes a year after a masterplan aimed at attracting an extra 400,000 visitors a year was published which included installing musical rumble strips which would play a tune when traffic drove over them, as well as a thrilling ride inspired by a wind turbine and a cradle-ride under the carriageways.
The initiatives were put forward 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.
Coun Chaytor said a revised and “slimmed down” masterplan would be published in due course.
He said the musical road had first been proposed by the chief executive of City of Culture Martin Green, in the build up to Hull hosting the year-long celebration of arts and culture.
While an “interesting concept” at the time, it is no longer seen as a viable option. The board, he said, was not “prepared to spend tollpayers’ or taxpayers’ money on speculative schemes”.
Coun Chaytor said no tollpayers’ or taxpayers’ money would be used to deliver the new facility, adding: “Our primary aim is to run the bridge and if we are going to do any form of tourism, we want to do it as a joint venture, where someone else takes the risk.”