Humber Bridge Celebrates 29th Birthday
24 June 2010 by Paul Rhoades
Happy birthday to the Humber Bridge which allowed its first traffic across on the 23rd June 1981.
The official opening happened a few days later on the 17th July, where the structure was officially opened by H.M. Queen Elizabeth II.
Plans to bridge the Humber between Hessle and Barton began in 1872 with the proposal to build a tunnel in around about the same area as where the bridge stands today. Good job they didn't as the southern tower excavation flooded when an artesian well was hit during its construction!
In the 1920's there was a plan to build a multi span bridge across the humber but this was then scrapped due to the recession.
It was not until 1959 when the Humber Bridge Act was passed allowing for the creation of the Humber Bridge Board did the creation of the Humber Bridge really begin. However no actual work was done until 1973 when work actually started building the two towers and anchor blocks at each end of the Humber.
The process of construction employed 1,000 people, many of which were local construction workers, and used cement produced locally at South ferriby along with Steel from Scunthorpe.
The bridge now carries in excess of 100,000 vehicles a week between Hull in East Yorkshire and Barton in North Lincolnshire. Should development of the Immingham ports go ahead then it will also provide links to the proposed A160.
The main controversy surrounding the Humber Bridge is its cost, several campaigns have been undertaken to write off the debt and scrap or freeze the toll. In today's economic climate this clearly is not possible. Nic Dakin did ask for an enquiry to be opened in to the cost of the bridge tolls in his first question to the speaker as Scunthorpe's new MP. Humber Bridge
Dominating the landscape of Hull and North Lincolnshire, this was taken from the HRI Water Tower 5 miles away.
Dominating the landscape of Hull and North Lincolnshire, this was taken from the HRI Water Tower 5 miles away. If you would like add your own news article to Visit Scunthorpe, Login or sign up, its free and easy and you can start publishing your own content here, straight away.
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