Hull City Council is investing more than £900,000 to improve around 100 bus stops across the city – making them safer, more accessible and more convenient for passengers while they wait for their bus.
Following an audit of 1,108 bus stops and bus shelters in the city last year, the council, working alongside local bus operators; Stagecoach East Midlands and East Yorkshire Buses; through the Hull Bus Alliance, has devised a programme of works to address various issues at locations all over Hull – including accessibility changes, like raising kerb-lines, the installation of safety barriers and up to 30 new bus shelters.
The works are being undertaken as part of the Hull Bus Alliance’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), which is funded by money allocated from the Department for Transport (DfT).
Councillor Mark Ieronimo, cabinet portfolio holder for transport and infrastructure at Hull City Council, said: “By proactively investing in our bus network, and its infrastructure, our aim is provide our residents with the type of service they expect and demand and make catching the bus an easy and convenient choice for people – whether it is for their daily commute or to visit the city centre for leisure.”
In addition to improving bus stops on Anlaby Road near the stadium, works have also been completed at bus stops near Hull Royal Infirmary as well as at Boothferry Road / North Road, inbound, which was moved slightly back to improve access.
In Sutton Village, the council installed kerbing and paving to the stop on Church Street, which previously had no footpath, and moved the bus stop at Sutton Village Post Office (Lowgate) away from a bend in the road to improve safety.
A raised kerb has also been installed at the Barham Road bus stop, opposite Griffin Primary School.
“While these works seem small in nature, they have a huge impact on the lives of our residents day-to-day and are often the types of things people want us, as a council, to get on and deliver,” added Councillor Ieronimo.
The programme will take a pause later this month to ensure the smooth running of bus services for Hull Fair, but will start again at end of October, with the aim of being completed before the end of the financial year.
The programme is initially prioritising the city’s main travel corridors, before focusing on improvements to bus stops in residential areas.
The investment in bus stops forms part of the council’s efforts to deliver on Hull’s Community Plan by developing safe and welcoming neighbourhoods and creating a healthier and fairer Hull as well as tackling the climate emergency.