Once again I return to the issue of the Humber Bridge as it has been the subject of much debate recently, including gathering support in Parliament.

Two big events are being lined up:

The first is a protest march cross the Bridge tomorrow, organised by Humber Action Against Tolls, which starts at 9.30am on Saturday 28^th February. (I always love walking across the bridge, but once my dog got freaked out by making the mistake of looking down through a small hole and she saw the water swirling below – I wouldn’t recommend it.)

The second is a public inquiry meeting, which starts at 10am on Tuesday 3^rd March at Willerby Manor. This is a meeting, chaired by an independent planning inspector, to decide whether to approve the proposed toll increase (which would mean a rise from the current £2.70 for a car to £2.90).

Campaigners are calling on protestors to descend in great numbers for the walk, as well as for the public meeting, to make their views clear to the planning inspector. We seem to be drifting between no tolls, £1 tolls and now a whopping £2.90. Here’s hoping it’s not the latter…

It’s not often that you see hoards of women dressed in pink putting themselves through considerable amounts of pain (whether it’s actually on the day, or the training leading up to the event). But it’s for a fantastic cause and worth every ounce of energy.

Your chance to see it all is on Sunday 31^st May, at 11am, when the Hull Race for Life kicks off. It’s always an amazing event, which strikes the very delicate balance of emotion and high excitement.

To register, visit Raceforlife and join in one of the 230+ events being held across the country from May to July. The aim is to raise over £60m to fund Cancer Research UK’s work, which you can read more about here 

(In case you missed it last year, the race is at Costello Stadium on Anlaby Park Road North, HU4 6XQ)

A quote from the Yorkshire Post on Tuesday:

“People in Hull are a romantic bunch – and that’s official”

It reports that a survey, carried out by Flying Flowers, suggests we are actually old romantics at heart as people in Hull send more bunches of flowers than anyone else in the country on Valentine’s Day.

We are also one of the top areas in the country in terms of the amount we spend in florists in Hull - although we have to share the top spot with our Yorkshire colleague, Bradford.

So, it seems the credit crunch hasn’t affected our sense of romanticism just yet then. I try and avoid buying into the whole Valentine’s Day marketing ploy, although that doesn’t stop me wishing that I won’t be able to get out the door in the morning because of the vast amount of cards I have received… (sigh).

Interesting article on the Yorkshire Business Desk this week about Hull trying to escape the economic downturn.

They interviewed Hull Forward’s Chief Executive – John Holmes – about how he sees the City growing and developing over the coming years.

 It almost makes Hull sound exciting:

“The £200m St Stephen’s shopping centre is complete and busy, apartments blocks line the banks of the marina and offices…Future developments include the development of Quay West, which will create a retail area employing 3,000 people; redevelopment of the Fruit Market into an area boasting bars, shops, boutique hotels and workspace; and the second phase of Humber Quays, Hull’s waterfront business and international trade district.”

According to John Holmes, there is a real sense of optimism and he is confident that a masterplan, which will see £1.5bn invested into Hull, will become reality. It’s a long term vision however, but Mr Holmes doesn’t believe panic buttons should be pressed given the slow down in the property and financial sectors.

The sentence that made me smile the most though;

“..the ever enthusiastic Mr Holmes denies that Hull’s geographical location has hindered its prospects either historically or today. ‘It’s on the route from St Petersburg to Liverpool.’ he says.”

Wasn’t it Peter the Great that called St Petersburg “the Window to the West”? I wonder if he realised that meant looking straight into the heart of Hull?

I feel as though I’ve lost the plot a little.

Did anyone else see the news last week about the Icelandic appeal? They have sent over a 20ft container filled with jumpers so our pensioners in Hull could keep warm in the chilly winter months

Whilst it’s obviously a huge act of kindness from Iceland – and we are being treated to unique Icelandic wool – I was amazed that this filled the crucial 7.35 – 7.40am time slot on the BBC news.

Secondly, why Hull? I didn’t quite understand that bit. Other than it’s the first City you reach once the jumpers were dropped off at the docks perhaps?

Apparently the appeal started on a radio station in Iceland after warnings that one in 12 pensioners could die this winter in the UK. Age Concern have also said that many pensioners in Hull were in “financial deprivation”.

After the snow flurry today, it certainly feels like jumper time, and what lovely jumpers they are

Well, it seems Hull schools are still at rock bottom.

Hull is still propping up the national GCSE league tables and is ranked last out of 149 local authorities across the country.

Whilst Councillors have expressed “disappointment”, the comparison to the East Riding Schools is only too apparent. Schools that are just on the other side of the authority boundary are registering very different results.

Yet did you know that children in Hull actually get more education funding per head from the Government than schools in the East Riding? I find it crazy that a child could go to a school, a mere half a mile away, and have around £500 a year less spent on them.

Either way, it doesn’t reflect well on Hull or the Council. I still remain loyal, however, and keep promoting my “suburbs” theory. Whilst cities like Manchester, Sheffield and Leeds all have their leafy suburbs included in their statistics, Hull is an entity on its own. It doesn’t have the Hessles or the South Hunsleys within its ranks to boost its position, which would make a massive different to the results.

I think I may have ranted about this before, but no doubt the backlash of public opinion will just once again reaffirm the apparent lack of faith in those at the Guildhall.

Humberside police may not rank particularly well in the league tables, but they are one of the first in the country to launch a new interactive Local Crime Map

Crime stats are broken down for each electoral ward in Hull and the East Riding, giving you the opportunity to see exactly where the trouble lies in your neighbourhood and how it compares to other areas.

I’m not wholly convinced this is going to be effective in restoring public confidence. I know the idea is to make neighbourhood policing more “visible” and “accountable”, but when it comes to the crunch, are we really going to be better informed? Crime stats are notoriously complex and I can imagine a particular influx one night in, let’s say car crime, is going to dramatically affect the overall picture for one area.

Don’t get me wrong, I agree with the incentives behind it and recognise that we need to have a better understand how crime is being tackled by our neighbourhood police teams, but I’m not sure this website can provide that.

Anyway, you’ll have to judge for yourself, so click here to find your crime map or the police in Hull.

When I posted about the looming upgrade of Castle Street back in June, I should have known that the estimated time-scales would fly out the window.

Latest reports suggest that work might not start for another five years, so that’s more endless queues and frustration to look forward to.

Earlier options that were on the cards are being thrown out because of escalating costs so the latest thinking is a new flyover above the Mytongate junction, or lowering the road beneath it. Either way, the Council say we’re looking at 2013 at the earliest to start the work.

Watch out for the public consultation in the New Year about the plans. I’m tempted to say we need to get it sorted asap, but we may as well get it right whilst we’re at it. Already five years behind, there is little point wasting the next 25 complaining bitterly that it didn’t even help ease the problem.

Anyway, here’s hoping that 2009 isn’t dominated by sitting in traffic – Happy New Year to you all!

So, at last, the Government are due to give their official response to Sir Michael Pitt’s reviews into the flooding last year.

The biggest surprise so far is the Hull Daily Mail article this morning which suggested that many of us are not facing up to the threat of flooding.

I’ve been reluctant to write about it too much on this blog as I recognise I was one of the lucky ones who avoided being knee deep in water in my own home. Even so, I am quite astonished with the Environment Agency’s recent poll which claims only nine per cent of those whose homes could flood have found out how to stay safe in the event of a flooding.

Even worse, only three per cent of people in a flood risk area have prepared a flood kit. We are talking about essential items here – copies of key documents, torches, waterproof clothing – even sandbags if people are particularly determined to protect their properties.

Don’t get me wrong, I can completely understand why people have pointed the finger at the Environment Agency, local Councils and the Government about their preparation and response plans, but I am amazed that people would still rely on them to protect their own homes. Surely when faced with water gushing into your house, it’s going to be you that has to respond immediately rather than sitting twiddling your thumbs waiting for the emergency services or council workers to come to the rescue?

Anyway, rant over. I for one am looking forward to hearing what the Government has to say about Sir Pitt’s 92-point plan, which he hopes will help flood-risk areas. Keep checking the Mail’s flood section on their website for the latest

Hull and Beverley are miles apart – not just as the crow files, but in attitudes, people and most certainly when it comes to shopping.

Having spent time in both (living, breathing and shopping), they each offer something very distinctive, going beyond the typical “market town v. bustling city” descriptions that are traditionally lumped upon them.

The question is, will the proposed £120m development in the shadow of Beverley Minster narrow that gap? The plans include shops, a cinema and even a hotel in the 16-acre former Clariant and Museum of Army Transport site.

The argument is that Beverley is in much need of a retail and leisure boost. Not unsurprisingly, Hull City Council and Princes Quay (who have enough of their own problems) are amongst many who have spoken out against the plans. They object to the scale of the initiative, suggesting that it will have an impact on current, and future, retail and business developments in the City.

A planning inspector has toured Hull’s retail centres to try and judge its impact (where do you even start to assess that?). The official tour took in Kingswood Retail Park, Clough Road, St Stephen’s & The Prospect Centre, King Edward Street and Jameson Street, Whitefriargate, Princes Quay, Humber Quays, Kingston Retail Park and St Andrew’s Quay. Quite a lot to go at really.

So, do you think it will affect the delicate Beverley/Hull balance? I’m tempted to ask whether other cities react this way when a neighboring town wants to expand or improve their infrastructure. If Hull was more confident in their own retail and business developments, would they be as worried?