Hull Freetown Way 'to return to dual carriageway'

Freetown Way would be reinstated as a dual carriageway under council plans

A dual carriageway in Hull is to be brought back and an off-road cycle path created under new council plans.

Bollards and cycle lanes would be removed from Freetown Way, reinstating two lanes of traffic in each direction.

The road became a single lane for cars and lorries in each direction when cycleways were introduced in 2020.

Hull City Council said it was apparent from residents' feedback that the current layout was "not a suitable solution".

An illustration showing the Freetown Way revamp

Plans show the footpath on both sides of the road would be widened between Witham and Blundell's Corner to accommodate an off-road cycle path, and include a raised separation strip between the cycle lane and footpath.

Councillor Mark Ieronimo, the authority's portfolio holder for roads, said it had been designed "to accommodate both cyclists and motorists" and give pedestrians better access.

However, taxi driver Peter Nilsson believes the proposals would "do nothing to tackle congestion" that he believes is caused by bus lanes.

The former chairman of the Hull Hackney Carriage Association said reinstating the dual carriageway "needed to happen".

But he added: "For these proposals to work, Spring Bank and Witham, which link to Freetown Way, must also be put back to two lanes or you're still going to see a build-up of traffic.

"For that to happen, the bus lanes, currently in operation from 7am to 6:30pm, need to go."

Two drop-in sessions will be held next week for the public to view the plans and share their thoughts.