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Hull’s bus lanes are proposed to change to peak time operation, in both directions, from their current all-day operating times, following a decision taken today (Monday 23 October) by Hull City Council’s Cabinet.

A traffic regulation order (TRO) will now be initiated proposing changes on all the city’s bus lanes, except for the Carr Lane bus gate which will remain in operation 24/7. Today’s decision will also see the council undertake detailed assessments of all key junctions and crossings along each bus route to see if additional safety measures can be implemented alongside a review of parking arrangements within bus lanes to ensure the lanes remain free for moving traffic at all times.

Once implemented, the new operating times would mean that outside of peak times the lanes would be open to all traffic.

The all-day operating times were put in place in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. As a result, bus lanes have been operating Monday to Saturday, 7am-6.30pm, since summer 2020.

A Traffic and Transport Survey was undertaken in summer 2022, which gathered over 20,000 responses, with 65 per cent of residents, who responded, favouring changing the bus lane operating times. As a result, the Cabinet requested that a statutory consultation exercise be undertaken to review the existing arrangements.

In accordance with Government guidance, the council held a consultation in June and July 2023, which received 2,526 responses.

The consultation responses included detailed comments from statutory consultees and stakeholder bodies alongside representations from members of the public.

Informed by the consultation and detailed data upon road use in the city, alongside requesting the introduction of improvements to junctions where cyclists access the highway and the prohibition of daytime parking in bus lanes, Cabinet has decided to initiate the process to limit bus lane use to peak time operation.

Once the TRO is published, there will be a formal objection period of 21 days. Should no objections be received, the aim would be to implement the new bus lane operating times in the New Year, following changes to any signage.

Pending formal approval of a TRO, the current restrictions on bus lanes will remain in place.

New road safety measures are a step closer after Hull City Council awarded a contract to design schemes to improve Lowgate, in the Old Town, and the A165.

In a decision record, published on Monday 9 October, the council has appointed Pell Frischmann Consulting Engineers Limited to develop a full design and oversee the process needed to get the schemes delivered.

The Lowgate scheme is in response to a request from the city’s coroner after Rebecca Kirby tragically died after being struck by a car when crossing Lowgate on the evening of 27 August 2021.

As part of the design phase, a feasibility study of Lowgate will be undertaken to identify the best option in terms of safety measures that can be introduced, with the aim of boosting public safety in an area of the city popular for its night-time economy.

Pell Frischmann Consulting Engineers Limited will also design a scheme of works for the A165 to create safer routes for all road users to use and enjoy.

The council was recently awarded £2.99million through the third round of the Government’s Safer Roads Fund (SRF) to improve safety on the A165 (Freetown Way, Witham, Holderness Road) corridor, which has been identified as high-risk.

The Safer Roads Fund was introduced by the Department for Transport (DfT) to support road safety in England as part of a wider package of investment into Britain’s transport network.

The A165 is a heavily used part of the city’s road network to and from the east of the city and the scheme that will be designed and delivered will underpin the Safer Roads Humber Road Strategy. This seeks to reduce the number of people killed and injured on the roads through effective partnership working.

Once designed, the plans for both schemes will be used for public consultation, which is planned for early spring 2024. The work would then be expected to start on site in the autumn.

Design development for both schemes will seek, where possible, to limit any impact on the network.

Hull City Council will consult the public and other stakeholders on the detailed plans and designs for each scheme before construction begins.

Plans will be drawn up to help improve the layout of a number of roundabouts in Hull, after the council appointed Align Property Partners Limited to progress proposals for the Kingswood Area Action Plan (AAP) and Calvert Lane to their next stage.

In a decision record, published by the council on Friday 6 October, the Yorkshire-based contractor has been awarded the design services contract to produce the necessary plans for the projects that, when complete, will reduce congestion and enhance cycle routes.

With Kingswood expected to grow over the coming years, the AAP involves changes to five roundabouts to provide additional highway capacity to deal with any increased traffic as well as improving cycle lane infrastructure.

Highway improvements are proposed for the following:

Calvert Lane and Derringham Roundabout has also been identified as a pinch-point on the highway network.

A scheme has been developed and modelled, but further design work is required to progress this and incorporate improved cycle infrastructure.

Once designed, the plans will be used for public consultation, which is anticipated to take place in spring next year with the aim of starting on site in autumn 2024.

Design development for all schemes will seek, where possible, to limit any impact on the network.

Hull City Council will consult the public and other stakeholders on the detailed plans and designs for each scheme before construction begins.

Work has now been completed on a project to enhance pedestrian and cycling facilities along Beverley Road.

Hull City Council and its contractor, PBS Construction (N.E) Ltd, have delivered the final phase of the programme, which has seen improvements to the Queens Road/Sculcoates Lane junction, including:

• The installation of controlled pedestrian crossing facilities across Beverley Road and Queens Road.

• Cycle lanes through the junction, connecting the existing northbound and southbound cycle lanes.

• A refresh of road markings within the junction.

• Repairs to the raised plant bed on the north-eastern side of Beverley Road.

The works at the junction were the last in a much larger scheme which has seen more than 5km of Beverley Road revamped to create a safer environment for cyclists travelling along the main route into the city as well as better crossing facilities for pedestrians, thereby enhancing the travel choices for those using Beverley Road.

The project was funded by the Government’s Getting Building Fund and was allocated to Hull City Council by the Hull & East Yorkshire LEP to deliver improved cycle links in the region.

Hull City Council has approved grant funding allocations of over £11million to deliver a series of investments on several of the city’s key routes to promote and encourage cycling and improve road safety.

The council has secured £8.757m from Active Travel England’s Active Travel Fund (ATF) and £2.99m from the Department for Transport’s Safer Roads Fund.

The ATF allocation will deliver two off-road cycle schemes, already approved by Cabinet, on Freetown Way and Preston Road while the Safer Roads Fund money will go towards road safety improvements on the A165 corridor between its junction with Beverley Road/Ferensway/Spring Bank along Witham and Holderness Road to the boundary of the East Riding, subject to Cabinet approval to proceed to tender and the awarding of contracts for design and construction.

The acceptance of the funding was confirmed in a decision record, published by the council today (Friday 18th August) and enables the three schemes to progress to their next stages, respectively, with the aim of starting on site in 2024 and the works being completed by spring 2025.

Innovative technology has been installed on a major route in the centre of the city, to help improve safety for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists, as well as help reduce congestion and encourage more people to consider alternative means of travel.

In a UK first, Hull City Council, working with leading highway and transport technological solutions expert, Clearview Intelligence, installed several technologies to support active travel and reduce congestion as part of the major investment to improve the Stoneferry Road corridor, which was completed in November last year.

Among the solutions supplied and installed were ‘intelligent road studs’ at five intersections along the route to help ensure cyclists and motorists look out for each other.

The studs, which are located at the top of each intersection with Stoneferry Road, are connected to a system that detects a cyclist’s approach. This then activates the studs which illuminate and flash to warn motorists.

Journey time monitoring systems have also been activated along the route to provide motorists with real-time information, displayed on 18 variable message signs, about traffic flows and alternative route details to help avoid congested areas.

The council also estimated that the rail bridge on Stoneferry Road was being struck by over-height vehicles six times per year, on average. In addition to significant costs for vehicle removal and repairs, such incidents caused disruption to motorists and the travelling public and the rail network.

Using infrared sensors, an over-height vehicle detection system has been installed to warn heavy goods vehicle drivers of the low bridge on Stoneferry Road and advise them of other routes available in order to avoid bridge strikes.

Hull has been ranked in the top 10 locations in the country for delivering cycling training to children, according to new figures from the Bikeability Trust.

Between April 2022 and March 2023, 78% of year 6 pupils in Hull received either Level 1 and 2 or Level 2 Bikeability training, putting the city seventh in the league table in a top 10 that includes Plymouth, Solihull, Lancashire, Leeds, Cheshire East, Cambridgeshire, Warrington and Devon.

In April, Hull City Council took over full delivery of all Bikeability training in the city and has made additional steps to reduce cancellations and increase participation, with a view to delivering training to even more children.

Improvements to pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, as well as improved capacity on the highway network for motorists across the city, have taken a step forward after Hull City Council appointed a contractor to design several new schemes.

The council has published a decision record confirming the awarding of a contract to Pell Frischmann Consulting Engineers Limited. The contractor has been appointed from the council’s tender framework, YORConsult2.

The contract will involve creating designs for infrastructure that is easy, convenient and safe for cyclists, road users and pedestrians alike. It is intended this will provide more options for how people choose to get about the city, helping to reduce carbon emissions, support the local economy and improve the health and wellbeing of residents.

The designs produced will be used for consultation and engagement activities that the council will hold with the public, businesses and other stakeholders which will then inform the development of the schemes.

As part of the contract, infrastructure designs will be developed by Pell Frischmann Ltd for the following schemes:

• Kingswood to City Centre

• Clough Road

• Chanterlands Avenue

• Freetown Way

• Preston Road

• Foredyke Stream

• Trans-Pennine Trail.

Design development for all schemes will seek, where possible, to limit any impact on the network.

Hull City Council will consult the public and other stakeholders on the detailed plans and designs for each scheme before construction begins.