A63 Castle Street cash 'great news' for Hull
A £150 MILLION upgrade of Hull's Castle Street could begin within three years.
As reported, roads minister Mike Penning has announced funding is available for development work on plans to improve the traffic-clogged A63 through the city centre.
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JAMMED UP: Traffic backs up in Castle Street in the city centre. Picture: Simon Renilson
The work is expected to include detailed design and preparation, including compulsory purchase orders and public inquiries.
The scheme is likely to be approved by ministers in the early years of the next spending review, which begins in 2015.
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Hull West and Hessle MP Alan Johnson said: "This is precisely what we have been seeking from the Government.
"I met the previous Transport Secretary, along with the Lord Mayor of Hull Colin Inglis and the portfolio holder late last year, to urge him to invest in the preliminary work so when we reach the next spending review phase, we would not have to duplicate all the work that has already been done.
"If this goes according to plan, we could see the problems of Castle Street being resolved."
Hull East MP Karl Turner said the news would send out a positive message to companies that are considering investment in the city, such as Siemens.
He said: "This is great news and a positive step closer to sorting out a much-needed upgrade of the A63.
"I recently pressed the Transport Minister on this issue and I am delighted that funding has now been granted for the pre-construction work.
"This funding will ensure that we are legally ready to press the button on this project and that everything is in place for works to start in 2015.
"This will send a positive message to companies such as Siemens who are looking to invest and will reassure existing companies we are getting a grip of this problem."
Hull North MP Diana Johnson said: "It's good news the A63 upgrade scheme is moving to the next stage.
"Hull MPs have lobbied ministers hard for this and we hope this road scheme, vital to Hull's regeneration, will now escape the cuts happening elsewhere."
Castle Street is one of six Highways Agency schemes to have been allocated funds for development work.
Mr Penning said: "We are committed to tackling congestion, keeping traffic moving and supporting the UK economy, putting in money where it's most needed and where the public will get a good return on investment.
"I am confirming development work will be advanced on a further six schemes around the country.
"This means they will be in a good position to be selected for start of works in the early years of the next spending review period."
Previously, the Mail revealed the start date for the scheme could be pushed back by three years to 2018 – unless the Government committed to proving funding for essential preparatory work.
There were also concerns late last year that the A63 upgrade had hit the buffers after being omitted from a list of major road projects given the funding go-ahead by the Department for Transport.
Comments
by Phil_melton
Thursday, May 10 2012, 5:52PM
“@ OorWully well news to me.......”
by OorWully
Thursday, May 10 2012, 5:22PM
“@Phil_melton
Road tax doesn't exist. It's car tax, a tax on cars and other vehicles, ...not a tax on roads or a fee to use them...
Motorists do not pay directly for the roads.
Roads are paid for via general and local taxation. In 1926, Winston Churchill started the process to abolish road tax. It was finally culled in 1937.
In fact, cars have possibly the least right to be on most roads. Out ranked by pedestrians, clyclists and horses.”
by Phil_melton
Thursday, May 10 2012, 5:06PM
“@ OorWully Please explain..........”
by OorWully
Thursday, May 10 2012, 4:56PM
“@Phil_melton. Nobody pays road tax. It was scrapped in the 1930's.”
by Phil_melton
Thursday, May 10 2012, 4:29PM
“@OorWully i dont see why i should find alternative transport....... as i pay road tax. our roads should be perfect conjestion free. my tax just got up to 210 quid!!!!!”
by OorWully
Thursday, May 10 2012, 10:52AM
“The main cause of congestion is clearly vehicles. A fair percentage of the vehicles are local commuters.
If some of the money was used to encourage these people into other modes of transport instead of relying on their car and yet complaining about others doing the same, we could have a fitter population, less pollution and the economy would be helped by better freight links, after all the A63 is a trunk road. It's main purpose is to get vehicles to the dock from outside the region not as a route for local traffic.
Is YOUR journey really necessary? I bet we can all come up with excuses why we're different.”
by harryoffdock2
Wednesday, May 09 2012, 11:11PM
“How kind of the government to grant us £150m in three years time for what is urgently needed, yet think nothing of spending £15.9 billion on an east-west rail line for London that isn't exactly short on rail networks and other means of public transport. How grateful us backwards northerners should be.”
by smartguy1
Wednesday, May 09 2012, 7:55PM
“Hey stop calling Phil A Stein...he's my brother in law and a good bloke.”
by peterw6889
Wednesday, May 09 2012, 7:09PM
“*****smate
Like you I despair at the councils approach to the cities history.Much of medieval Hull has gone forever destroyed by bad decision making ,thank goodness that York and Lincoln both have councils with vision unlike the philistines we have in Hull!”
by Phil_melton
Wednesday, May 09 2012, 5:58PM
“rowing boat. ha why not would defo make the papers. ''man uses river Humber to avoid traffic congestion''”