Calls to tackle 'relentless' traffic jams in Beverley

BBC News

18-02-2025

Residents have complained about "relentless" traffic jams in Beverley.They said gas works in Flemingate, along with a project around Lincoln Way and Minster Way, were contributing to congestion and delays.Councillor Tom Astell said motorists had "been left to sit in gridlock" due to poor planning and called on East Riding of Yorkshire Council to do more to manage the situation.The council has been contacted for comment. Northern Gas Networks, which is behind the Flemingate work, apologised to those affected and said the road closure would be lifted on Wednesday.
Praveen Bharathi, who lives in the town, said it was taking her more than half-an-hour to drive the one-and-a-half miles to drop her children off at school.Another resident, Helena Wilson said she preferred to walk around town to avoid sitting in "relentless traffic jams".
"There's just never an end to it, it's all over Beverley. Wherever you go, you need to add an extra half-hour on to your journey to tackle the traffic," Ms Wilson said.Improvements to infrastructure were not keeping up with the pace of development in the town, she added. Alice Dorsey said she was annoyed about repeated roadworks on Flemingate in recent months. "My husband wants to go to the doctors tomorrow and he either has to park ages away and walk or make other arrangements to avoid being involved in all the traffic," she said.
Some councillors have called for better co-ordination between agencies to prevent "unnecessary gridlock", as well as long-term solutions to improve traffic flow. Astell argued residents had been let down by "poor planning". Referring to Flemingate, he said: "It's not acceptable, but the issue isn't just the gas works, it's the failure to manage the impact." Northern Gas Networks said the road closure on Flemingate would be lifted on Wednesday, but work would resume in the summer."The gas pipe has undergone several repairs over the last few years, so in order to minimise any future inconvenience for customers, it will be replaced later this summer," the company said. "We'll be working closely with East Riding of Yorkshire Council to plan this project, and ensure customers are kept informed well in advance of any work starting."The work around Lincoln Way and Minster Way is due to be completed by 12 July. The wider A164 Jock's Lodge scheme is due to continue into next year. Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.