****ing marvelous http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Hull...-faces-fresh/story-21185348-detail/story.html HOPES of initial work starting next year on the long-awaited £160m upgrade of Castle Street in Hull could be fading. The Highways Agency previously said it would be submitting an application for a development consent order for the scheme this spring. The order, which is the equivalent of a planning application, is one of the key steps in the decision-making process ahead of actual construction work starting. But an agency spokeswoman has told the Mail a date has yet to be confirmed for the order to be submitted. She said: "Things have slipped a bit in terms of timescale. "As yet, there is no agreed date for the publication of the development consent order." Securing final approval for the order could take at least a year. After that, it has been estimated the work to upgrade Hull's busiest road could take up to four years. The agency, which is designing the road improvement scheme, says on its website that officials are still analysing public feedback on options put forward in January for a proposed footbridge spanning the A63 between Princes Quay and Hull Marina. Five different design options were unveiled for the bridge, which city leaders say is vital to have in place before Hull starts its year as UK City of Culture in 2017. Today's expected confirmation in the Queen's Speech of plans to turn the Highways Agency into a Government-owned company could also complicate matters. The Castle Street facelift includes lowering a section of the main east-west route at the current Mytongate junction so it runs under a new elevated link road between Ferensway and Commercial Road. All the existing traffic lights in the area would be removed, with two footbridges in addition to the one at Princes Quay included in the current proposals. The development consent order will be made to be national Planning Inspectorate. The Inspectorate has 28 days to decide whether there has been sufficient consultation and whether the scheme meets the required standards to proceed. After that, the inspectorate has six months to examine the proposals. This stage in the process typically includes a public hearing. A recommendation to the secretary of state must be made within three months of the examination's end. The Secretary of State then has a further three months to issue a decision. Councillor Martin Mancey, portfolio holder for transport at Hull City Council, has previously called for the main footbridge between Princes Quay and Hull Marina to be ready for the 2017 City of Culture celebrations ahead of the wider road improvement works being completed. He said: "The footbridge will provide a vital link over the A63 Castle Street and every effort will be made to have the bridge built and in place in time for the UK City of Culture."
How is the city going to function when / if this happens? Basically, there's one way in and out of Hull and if that goes what the **** happens? Surely the only possible solution is to reduce it to 1 lane each way ie split one side of the dual carriageway while they work on the other side and then swap over but - **** me - 1 lane in and out......
****ing useless... Hull A63 Castle Street upgrade delayed AGAIN until 2022 http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/hull...tory-29518016-detail/story.html#ixzz4ElCgVEyu The footbridge is still due to be done in 2018.
I had an interview at Highways England a couple of weeks back. They're committed to spending over £20billion on improving the road network over the next 5 years. They can get their ****ing hands in their pockets and pay for that nice bridge then. I was in for 2 and a half hours and still didnt get the gig.