City bridge faces six-month closure for repairs

A much-used road bridge linking east and west Hull is to be closed for six months for urgent repairs, the city council has said.

Drypool Bridge over the River Hull will be shut for work on its load-bearing columns after a routine inspection in April 2024 found they had significantly deteriorated.

Due to the year-long delay in the A63 Castle Street roadworks, both projects will run alongside each other, causing "unavoidable disruption" to the city's road network.

Garry Taylor, Hull City Council's assistant director of major projects, said "the best possible traffic management and mitigation measures" would be put in place "to reduce the likely impact".

The bridge, which opened in 1961, carries an essential road route over the River Hull into the city centre. It is also used by pedestrians.

After the safety investigation in April, the council said the bridge would be closed for up to 12 months, but it reopened two weeks later after safety checks.

"Significant damage" was discovered to several concrete columns under the bridge.

Subject to cabinet approval, the council will appoint Esh Contruction and Mason Clark Associates to repair and strengthen the structure.

The authority said the work was expected to cost £8m.

The council said it wanted to start the work this spring because if it was to be delayed, the next available period to undertake the repairs would be spring/summer 2026, with the risk of increased costs.

The authority warned of road closures and diversions in the area, which will also coincide with the A63 roadworks that have been delayed for a year.

The £355m redesign that involves lowering the level of the A63 to create an underpass was pushed back due to "extremely challenging ground conditions", highways officials said.

The council said: "The two schemes will be managed through a co-ordinated approach by the council alongside all other highway works."

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