Hull City Council will reintroduce the city centre Bus Gate from Wednesday 27 May for around eight weeks, to support bus use during the closure of Drypool Bridge.
The council has a legal duty to minimise disruption to public transport when planning and delivering major road works, ensuring bus routes remain operational wherever reasonably possible. This includes taking appropriate steps to protect the reliability and accessibility of services.
Therefore, to support the 42,000 people who rely on Hull’s buses each day to travel into and out of the city, a temporary extension of the city centre Bus Gate will be reintroduced during the upcoming eight-week closure of Drypool Bridge.
The Bus Gate will be in operation from Guildhall Road to Dock Street, east bound only, and will prohibit vehicles from entering other than those authorised, including buses, cycles, motorcycles, taxis, emergency vehicles and hackney carriages.
All other vehicles will need to divert around the area via Wilberforce Drive / George Street and vice versa, depending on direction of travel.
The Bus Gate will operate 24 hours a day. Warning notices will be issued for the first ten days from Wednesday 27 May, after which unauthorised vehicles using the route will be subject to a £70 penalty charge (reduced to £35 is paid within 14 days).
This measure was implemented during the first closure of Drypool Bridge in autumn 2025 and helped support bus movement in the city centre.
By reintroducing the Bus Gate, the council hope to provide continuity and confidence for passengers, bus operators and businesses during the works.
Councillor Mark Ieronimo, cabinet portfolio holder for transport and infrastructure at Hull City Council said: “The Bus Gate is a temporary but essential measure to keep the city moving during the upcoming closure of Drypool Bridge.
“To give everyone time to adjust to the change, we will be issuing warning notices only for the first ten days before enforcement begins.
“Thousands of residents rely on buses every day, particularly those without access to a car. This measure helps protect those journeys and keeps services reliable – without it, congestion would quickly build up and impact the wider road network.
“This is not a permanent change. It is a short-term measure, and we appreciate everyone’s cooperation while it is in place.”
For more information, visit Drypool Bridge | Programmes – Bridges | Hull
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