Council to consider one-way scheme on narrow Hull street
Hull City Council is being asked to approve a traffic regulation order that would convert Grafton Street, between Newland Avenue and Beverley Road, into a one-way road and introduce priority traffic markings at nearby pinch points.
The measures, brought forward by the council's local neighbourhood team, are intended to address ongoing problems of motorists using the street as a cut-through, difficulty passing at narrow points, kerb mounting and what the council describes as anti-social behaviour arising from driver conduct. The scheme has an estimated cost of £21,000 and would be funded, in part, from a crime prevention grant if councillors approve the traffic regulation order in November.
Local residents and people who work in the area welcomed the plans, saying a one-way system would improve safety and reduce near-misses. Joiner Graham Williams, who regularly works on Grafton Street, described repeated close calls where vehicles mounted the pavement when two cars attempted to pass.
"I think it'll make it safer. But it won't make it any better for parking."
Others who live or trade close by highlighted the practical impact of current traffic patterns. A 23-year-old resident said speeding and frequent through-traffic made the street unpleasant, while a shop owner on Newland Avenue said many motorists use Grafton Street as a shortcut between the two main roads.
What the proposals would do
- Convert Grafton Street to a one-way street to simplify vehicle flow;
- Introduce priority traffic markings at pinch points on De Grey Street, Lambert Street and Alexandra Road;
- Apply for a crime prevention grant to support the measures and aim to reduce collisions, near-misses and anti-social driving.
The application for funding frames the changes not only as traffic management but as measures to deter behaviour the neighbourhood team characterises as anti-social. Officers say the new layout may also create additional on-street parking spaces by removing conflicting two-way movements at narrow sections.
Residents gave mixed practical responses. One student who has lived on Grafton Street for a year said a one-way system would make access easier during busy periods because drivers would no longer need to find ad hoc passing places. At the same time, several residents cautioned that converting the road to one-way would not solve parking scarcity.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Street affected | Grafton Street (between Newland Avenue and Beverley Road) |
| Related pinch points | De Grey Street, Lambert Street, Alexandra Road |
| Estimated cost | £21,000 |
| Decision due | November (Hull City Council meeting) |
Local context and likely consequences
Grafton Street sits amid a busy residential and retail corridor of Hull. Newland Avenue and Beverley Road are two well-trafficked routes and the short link offered by Grafton Street attracts drivers seeking to avoid congestion on main roads. That convenience has, according to neighbours, come at the cost of safety where the carriageway narrows.
Traffic regulation orders are the usual legal mechanism for introducing such changes, and the council will need to balance the aims of improved safety and reduced conflict against potential downsides, notably access for residents and visitors and the displacement of parking demand. If approved, signage and road markings would be altered, and enforcement and resident communication would be key to making the scheme effective.
Officers argue that priority systems at the nearby pinch points will formalise who should give way and reduce the number of occasions where vehicles mount pavements to pass. Supporters of the plan say it will cut down on dangerous manoeuvres and improve the pedestrian environment, while critics warn that a one-way layout could simply shift problems to neighbouring streets.
The council's November decision will test whether the modest investment is judged sufficient to bring measurable improvements to safety and curb the anti-social driving currently reported by the neighbourhood team and residents.
