Press release

£8 million levelling up boost for Grimsby to repair vital bridges and boost local industry

Vital bridges connecting Grimsby and Immingham will be repaired to boost the local key industries and tourism

From:
Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and The Rt Hon Greg Clark
Published
11 August 2022
This was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government
  • £8 million levelling up funding will fix damaged bridges to boost local industry and jobs
  • Move will also prevent months of potential road closures for the region
  • Part of government’s work to level up Grimsby, improving local opportunities, delivery new housing and regenerating the town centre

Vital bridges connecting Grimsby and Immingham will be repaired to boost the local key industries and tourism, prevent road closures and secure future jobs for the region, Levelling Up Secretary Greg Clark announced today (11 August 2022).

In the latest step to level up Grimsby, £8 million of funding has been confirmed to help fix damaged bridges along the A180 – a vital route that connects the region’s key ports, serves residents and tourists and provides an estimated £2.5 billion to the local economy’s Seafood Cluster each year.

The funding will prevent months of disruption and closures for residents, as well as making sure local industries can continue to grow and helping to create more skilled jobs in the area.

Grimsby was the pilot Town Deal area, and the government has awarded over £4 5million through the Pilot and its flagship Towns Fund and Future High Streets programmes to support plans to renew and reshape the town centre. This includes plans to build 129 new high quality, low carbon homes in the town.

Secretary of State for Levelling up Greg Clark said:

The work to level up vital towns like Grimsby requires acting on what local people say is important and acting on what local people want - including local infrastructure.

The funding we are announcing today will provide a vital lifeline for Grimsby’s industry now and in the future and I am looking forward to seeing how our investment is helping local communities to flourish and further unlock the area’s potential.

DLUHC arm’s length body, Homes England, will assist North East Lincolnshire council to develop plans to revitalise the town centre, including for the 129 homes on Garth Lane.

Cllr Philip Jackson, the Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, said:

I am delighted that our collaboration with government on the levelling up agenda is bearing fruit. The key infrastructure investment announced today, as well as our work with Homes England, focused on Garth Lane and wider town centre regeneration, are essential elements of our drive to deliver sustainable local economic growth for our residents, our communities and our businesses. I look forward to our collaboration with Government continuing.

Benj Sykes from energy firm Orsted UK, which operates in the area, said:

The offshore wind industry in Grimsby relies on the skilled and committed workers who have helped to create a world-leading hub. As the industry grows, we need the government to continue to develop the infrastructure the region needs to thrive, and I’m delighted to see further investment in the region.

Further information

The A180 is the main arterial route into North East Lincolnshire, providing access to the Port of Grimsby. Currently, the three bridges – the Gilbey Road Flyover, the Alexandra Dock Bridge and the Cleethorpes Road Flyover – require critical structural repairs. Further deterioration could cause closure or weight restrictions – severing Grimsby infrastructure and creating knock-on effects on the local and national economy. £8 million is being provided to fund these repairs, subject to final business case.

DLUHC has a programme of work (deep dives) exploring opportunities to work with local authorities and stakeholders in places to unlock barriers to wider growth. This aims to improve outcomes locally, but also better coordinate government interventions in those places. Grimsby was selected for the deep dive on this basis.

Places are selected for deep dives on a basis of need and low outcomes against Levelling Up goals and Levelling Up potential and viability.

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Updates to this page

Published 11 August 2022