A63 Castle Street Hull Innovative Event Crossing

Integrated Transport Systems

Hull

Overview

When Hull was made the UK City of Culture for 2017, it needed to prepare for increased footfall from thousands of international visitors to a year-long series of events. For Hull City Council, that created some challenges with traffic and pedestrian flow around the city and key event venues. A-One+, a joint venture of Colas and key partners, were appointed by Highways England to provide a safe crossing over a major arterial route A63. The project included:

  • Improving pedestrian crossing to increase traffic flow, ensuring public safety
  • A traffic system flexible to manage events where pedestrian numbers would be highest
  • Permanent solution to long-term challenge and fit for the future
  • Improved road surfacing, road markings and traffic management
  • Supply and installation of the traffic signals and associated detection systems
  • Delivered in 6 weeks, on time and with minimal disruption to busy A-road traffic

£100 - £250 million

project value



6 weeks

delivery and completion


Challenges

  • The A63 is a main arterial route through Hull which links the M62 to the Hummer docks area and the ferry and Cargo port.
  • With City of Culture events planned, numbers of pedestrians crossing both sides of the A63 at Caslte Street junction were going to rise.
  • Hull City Coincil recognised that the current pedestrian crossing was not sufficient to cope with increased footfall.
  • The Council wanted to have the new flexible pedestrian crossing system to ensure public safety and effective management of traffic.

Solutions

  • A-One+, including members of the Colas team, designed a flexible solution built around a traffic signal controlled Puffin crossing.
  • The new traffic signal system operates a a staggered crossing where traffic is stopped in one direction only, at any given time.
  • When events take place, the crossing can be readily converted into a 10 meter wide crossing, allowing many more pedestrians to cross the road safely.
  • The innovative solution was built around a ‘plug and play’ system that means the crossing can be switched to event mode (and back) with minimal onsite work.