Humber Bridge closed to cycling and pedestrians

[ColinJ]

Oh dear, doesn't look good for the York-Humber Bridge-York day ride.

Having said that, @ColinJ's latest route brings us to the north side of the bridge, so we only cross it for the sake of it, and to get our scran at the very agreeable bait stop on the south bank.

The ride's a good 'un in lots of other respects, but doing it without the bridge would rip the guts out of it.

I came to the same conclusion myself, so I am planning a post-restrictions, post-vaccinations flat 100 miler from Garforth instead - see THIS POST.

 

[Blue Hills]

Is it possible they plan to reopen it, but have just said "indefinite" in case some sad souls put a reopening date in their diaries?
Sounds like there has been a concentration of sad events in march - maybe they were worried about a trend, and social media probably wouldn't help.
If it is permanent I think it a daft decision.

Suicide attempts on London tube - around 5 a month - intervention has helped.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...ndon-underground-tfl-samaritans-a8801566.html

Can't see them removing the london tube as a transport option.

 

[PeteXXX]

So sad that people get into such a state that they feel that jumping off a bridge is the only option, but surely they will find another place to go. Closing the bridge is a poor decision, I think.

I would guess that it's also a commuter route for some, too. Maybe for folk that don't have cars, even. There's their job gone!

 

[matticus]

I would guess that it's also a commuter route for some, too. Maybe for folk that don't have cars, even. There's their job gone!

Exactly.

But hey, cyclists don't matter - they should buy cars.

There should be temporary cycle lanes immediately. Cost almost nothing.

 

[mjr]

There should be temporary cycle lanes immediately. Cost almost nothing.

It should be a legal requirement, like for roadworks.

It should be enforced, unlike for roadworks.

 

[Drago]

Typical. The overridingly sensible majority are penalised and disadvantaged due the the - in this case sad and regrettable - behaviour of a few.

That's the British way - don't deal with the problem, penalise those who've done nothing wrong.

 

[Tom B]

I wonder if they're trying to break the cycle if you pardon the pun.

We have a bridge locally that after years and decades of being nothing out of the ordinary became a bit of magnet for those wishing to jump, or threaten to jump emphasised after a couple of high profile jumpers widely reported in the press.

Now because king car couldn't be inconvenienced they built expensive higher fences (aka climbing aids) in an effort to stop people climbing it. When a nearby cycleway was opened (former railway route) it was insisted that they fully cover it.

Hopefully closure of these paths will just be for a month or so to try and break this pattern of behaviour.

I've cycled the bridge and I'd be bloody miffed if that was my commute / route to see my family they ought to be obliged to provide a shuttle bus.

 

[Solocle]

I wonder if they're trying to break the cycle if you pardon the pun.

We have a bridge locally that after years and decades of being nothing out of the ordinary became a bit of magnet for those wishing to jump, or threaten to jump emphasised after a couple of high profile jumpers widely reported in the press.

Now because king car couldn't be inconvenienced they built expensive higher fences (aka climbing aids) in an effort to stop people climbing it. When a nearby cycleway was opened (former railway route) it was insisted that they fully cover it.

Hopefully closure of these paths will just be for a month or so to try and break this pattern of behaviour.

I've cycled the bridge and I'd be bloody miffed if that was my commute / route to see my family they ought to be obliged to provide a shuttle bus.

I planned a route a while back that includes the Humber.

Sod it, if I ever feel like doing this route, I'll still ride across the bridge, but on the carriageway! I wonder if they've thought about their liability in such an event...

 

[craigwend]

I read on a local (Hull area) forum that limited numbers of cyclist are being allowed through by security guards, nothing official though.

Six deaths in one month tragically...
https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/new...kCopy&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sharebar

 

[Arrowfoot]

One possibility is to stop press coverage to avoid copycats. It also avoids overzealous and emotive reporting.

The knee-jerk is to close it off the bridge. And when the press writes reports like this "Saturday's decision to close both footpaths on the bridge was derided by some. But for bereaved families, it was long overdue or simply not enough."

Why is the bridge is being blamed? I can understand extra measures such as fencing etc.

Any life lost is tragic but this sort of reporting should be stopped.

 

[Blue Hills]

I've cycled the bridge and I'd be bloody miffed if that was my commute / route to see my family they ought to be obliged to provide a shuttle bus.

The Dartford crossing bridge has a free shuttle-bus.

 

[Pale Rider]

Sod it, if I ever feel like doing this route, I'll still ride across the bridge, but on the carriageway! I wonder if they've thought about their liability in such an event...

You could, although you would need to get through the toll barriers on the north side.

Having been spotted making your way across, it's inevitable you would face some official displeasure from a Humberside police patrol called to meet you.

Looks like you are heading to York, so you could cross the Ouse at Goole from where there's some agreeable minor roads to your destination.

 

[Solocle]

You could, although you would need to get through the toll barriers on the north side.

Having been spotted making your way across, it's inevitable you would face some official displeasure from a Humberside police patrol called to meet you.

Looks like you are heading to York, so you could cross the Ouse at Goole from where there's some agreeable minor roads to your destination.

Which misses the point of the route, to follow the Fosse Way and Ermine Street as faithfully as possible, while also clocking up 500 km, with a proper journey between two cities.

As for the toll booths, it looks possible to wiggle a bike past those barriers if necessary, then make an immediate escape onto minor roads at the exit, and head for South Cave. Or could always play the "sorry guv, I've just ridden 250 miles, the shared use path seemed closed, so I must have missed the no cycling sign" card. You probably wouldn't see it if you decided to join the carriageway from the path at the gate, after all!

 

[craigwend]

Which misses the point of the route, to follow the Fosse Way and Ermine Street as faithfully as possible, while also clocking up 500 km, with a proper journey between two cities.

As for the toll booths, it looks possible to wiggle a bike past those barriers if necessary, then make an immediate escape onto minor roads at the exit, and head for South Cave. Or could always play the "sorry guv, I've just ridden 250 miles, the shared use path seemed closed, so I must have missed the no cycling sign" card. You probably wouldn't see it if you decided to join the carriageway from the path at the gate, after all!

It's hopefully not a long term solution, it's used both recreationally and commuting. There is an online petition that had been started before the more draconian response that was going to propose to put gates up between 10.pm and 6.am when a lot of suicides on the bridge occurred

https://www.change.org/p/humber-bri...hare_initial&utm_term=share_for_starters_page

 

[Pale Rider]

Which misses the point of the route, to follow the Fosse Way and Ermine Street as faithfully as possible, while also clocking up 500 km, with a proper journey between two cities.

As for the toll booths, it looks possible to wiggle a bike past those barriers if necessary, then make an immediate escape onto minor roads at the exit, and head for South Cave. Or could always play the "sorry guv, I've just ridden 250 miles, the shared use path seemed closed, so I must have missed the no cycling sign" card. You probably wouldn't see it if you decided to join the carriageway from the path at the gate, after all!

Joining the carriageway from the path at the gate would entail lifting your bike over the gate, then lifting it over the barriers to reach the carriageway.

To avoid the two barriers you would need to follow the vehicle route, taking you past the 'No cycling' sign.

You might be able to talk yourself out of bother at the other end, but the 'honest mistake' excuse would not fly.

Having cycled many miles, you could reasonably say you were unaware of the closure, but it would still be clear you had deliberately flouted the regulations.