City flood work road closures to continue

A MAJOR route through Hull will be closed for another month.

The stretch of Bankside from Innovation Drive to Air Street was due to have reopened this week, as part of £36m flood defence works, but has been delayed by bad weather and issues with existing services.

However, when it does reopen on June 2, a full road closure will start of Wincolmlee, from Wilmington Bridge to Fountain Road.

Environment Agency project manager Brendan Sharkey said: “Large cranes and heavy equipment need to be operated from Bankside so that the flood defences can be built.

“We have greatly appreciated the cooperation of the businesses operating on and along the river.

“Work at Bankside has been challenging due to recent weather conditions and issues with existing services which have impacted progress.

“This is complex work and some disruption can’t be avoided, but it is short term pain for long term gain.”

Work on the River Hull Defences scheme started last April and is due to be completed by the end of 2019.

Ninety-five per cent of Hull stands on a natural flood plain and it is the city with the highest number of properties at risk of flooding outside London.

Bankside and Wincolmlee will fully re-opened to traffic in August. The third stage of road closure programme – Wilmington Bridge to Air Street – has been moved to later in the year.