The Department for Transport has said a decision on the £355 million Castle Street Improvement project "will be made in due course”.
Hull’s largest ever road project was due to have been signed off this week by the Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps, but no decision has yet been made.
This month’s Budget saw the Highways England-led upgrade get the green light from the Treasury, but in the fortnight between the anticipation of government’s ducks being put in order, the coronavirus pandemic has dominated the agenda.
The Planning Inspectorate deadline expired on Tuesday, with Monday seeing a statement that the “A63 Castle Street Improvement – Hull development consent order application remains with the Secretary of State for consideration”.
Now, when queried by Business Live, the Department for Transport has said: “A decision on the A63 Castle Street, Hull development consent order application will be made in due course.”
National Infrastructure Planning issued a recommendation report to Mr Shapps on Christmas Eve. Since then HS2, the removal of under-performing rail franchises and Heathrow Expansion have been on his desk, ahead of the joined-up government response to Covid-19.
It appears imminent though, as a further update on Wednesday had ensured all interested parties have logged their contact details to “minimise any delays which could arise if the postal service is affected” due to the pandemic.
At the core of the project is a complete transformation of the existing Mytongate junction - used by 47,000 vehicles a day in normal times.
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The main east-west route through the city centre to the industrial east will be lowered under a new carriageway linking Ferensway and Commercial Road.
The A63 between Princes Dock and Myton Bridge will be widened to three lanes while another pedestrian footbridge will be constructed at Porter Street.
All of the existing traffic lights are to be removed between Myton Bridge and the Daltry Street flyover along with the ground-level pedestrian crossings.