Cllr Daren Hale said the crossing ‘should be repaired and open by now’ but the ruling Liberal Democrats have accused Labour of ‘political point scoring’
The opposition Labour Group on Hull City Council have criticised the authority’s “snail-pace” plans to reopen Sculcoates Bridge. The bridge, known locally as Chapman Street Bridge, has been closed to motorists for more than half a decade due to a “risk of collapse”.
Earlier this week, the Liberal Democrat-run council announced it had appointed Mason Clark Associates, a Hull-based engineering consultancy, to start the next phase of restoration works on the Grade II-listed bridge which originally opened in 1874. It is the oldest surviving crossing over the River Hull.
The council has explained that the refurbishment of the bridge has been split into three phases. The first involved feasibility, concept design and early engagement. Phase two, design and full engagement, and phase three, building works to refurbish and bring the bridge back into use, will follow once preliminary work is complete. While a date or time frame has not been given on when people can expect to see the bridge open to traffic, the council has said it is a “key step” in its five-year infrastructure plan.
The authority’s portfolio holder for transport and infrastructure, Cllr Mark Ieronimo, said: “Our transport infrastructure is vital, and we are committed to bringing Chapman Street Bridge back into use to help ease traffic across the city. Residents want this, we’ve listened, and we’re working to make it happen. It’s part of our wider commitment to fixing the city’s infrastructure.”
Commenting on the update, the leader of the Labour Group, Cllr Daren Hale said: “While this move has to be welcomed, it is too little too late with plans still at a snail-pace with no firm commitment or timescales to repair it. This is merely a ‘survey’. We need guarantees that it must lead to an urgent plan to repair the bridge. We have lost four years, this bridge should be repaired and open by now.
“Labour made the decision to repair this important bridge in 2021, but when the Liberal Democrats took control in 2022, they moved the allocated funding to later years effectively kicking the scheme down the road.”
Central Ward Councillor, Sharon Kassim, whose ward houses the bridge added: “In the decision record, dated October 28, 2025, the Lib Dem portfolio holder, Cllr Ieronimo, recognises this bridge is a key crossing point and a vital link for residents, businesses and emergency services; so why has he done nothing for nearly four years? Cllr Ieronimo needs to explain why he sat on this project for so long when he could have acted to reduce traffic chaos for local people, in my ward this prolonged bridge closure has caused absolute chaos for businesses and residents.”
Responding to the Labour Group’s comments, Liberal Democrat Group Spokesperson Cllr Jack Haines said: “Hull’s Labour bosses ran Hull into the ground, it’s been left to the Lib Dem council to fix it – that includes Chapman Street bridge. As usual from Labour, we’re seeing pointless political point scoring, rather than real solutions.
“Labour councillors should be lobbying their MPs and Government to give Hull more investment to fund the Lib Dems plan to fix Hull. Instead, all we see is Labour letting us down locally and nationally.”
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