Call for £1m to help businesses over road delay

A business boss has called for National Highways to pay £1m to support local traders after delays to a major road scheme.

Work started on the £355m redesign of the A63 in Hull city centre four years ago and was supposed to finish in March.

But National Highways announced on Monday that completion the completion date would now be spring 2026, citing "very challenging ground conditions".

Dr Ian Kelly, chief executive of Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce, said the highways authority should set aside a £1m fund "to help local businesses survive".

"This terrible news will put Hull's business community under even more pressure, at a time when many are struggling to cope with increased trading costs, " he said.

"We thought after all these years the end was in sight and now we have to endure another 12 months of traffic chaos which deters people from coming into the city centre."

The Castle Street work started in 2020 and involves lowering the level of the A63 to create an underpass.

Jim Harris, manager of St Stephen's Shopping Centre, said the delay in finishing the scheme was "very disappointing news", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"City centre businesses have been heavily affected by the Castle Street scheme, and a lot of hard work has been done to mitigate the issues, but we could really do with some financial help if this is going to continue for yet another year."

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