Hull Eyes Major Cash Boost: Council Urges UK Government to Fund £42M Infrastructure Plan
Published: June 24, 2025 | Regional Infrastructure | By [Your Name]
📌 What’s Happening?
Hull City Council has outlined a 5-year, £42 million investment plan to revamp bridges, footbridges, monuments, and public transport assets.
Councillor Mike Ross has formally written to the UK Government requesting substantial funding from the newly launched £1 billion Structures Fund to bring these plans to life.
🏗 Why It Matters: Heritage, Safety & Growth
The plan addresses critical maintenance needs—repairs to the Hessle Road Flyover, North Bridge, and Victoria Pier—while improving public transport reliability and reducing emergency closures.
Councillor Ross emphasized that bridges over the River Hull connect communities and fuel the local economy. Without repairs, failure risk rises, impacting both daily commutes and business activity.
🛠 How the Fund Works
The Structures Fund is a £1 billion national UK initiative focused on restoring transport infrastructure.
Local councils with “shovel-ready” projects—like Hull’s—are urged to apply quickly to secure grants.
Hull’s Cabinet approved the city’s plan on 23 June, and a formal application has been submitted to access the allocation.
🚦 The Potential Payoff for Hull
- Safety & Resilience: Reduced emergency closures on bridges and walkways.
- Economic Boost: Smoother transport and job creation in construction and engineering.
- Cultural Conservation: Renovated monuments, statues, fountains and Victoria Pier preserved for future generations.
- Efficient Public Transport: Less congestion, better journey times, improved reliability.
💬 What Local Leaders Are Saying
Councillor Ross said: “This marks a significant step forward … if the Government wants to support Hull, they’ll send more investment our way.”
The new Mayor of Hull & East Yorkshire emphasized that the region has long been underfunded and is now “shovel-ready” with proposals for better transport, housing, skills, and AI-enabled growth.
🔄 Hull in the Context of Wider Regional Strategy
Hull’s plans align with its Devolution Deal, which empowers the Hull & East Yorkshire Combined Authority to drive transport, housing, education, and green technology development.
The Council is also exploring signature regional infrastructure projects like the £1.5 billion Lagoon Hull flood defense and transport scheme, which would further support economic resilience and connectivity.
📅 What Happens Next?
- Government review of Hull’s application to the Structures Fund.
- Allocation of funds and rollout of key bridge and transport works.
- Construction, restoration, and monitoring across a 5-year timeline.
- Regular updates via Hull City Council to stakeholders and residents.
