A Regional Perspective on the Humber Bridge: Empirical and Theoretical Issues

In view of sustained controversy over the Humber Bridge's construction and cost, it is necessary to examine the bridge's potential contribution in a wider regional context. This paper begins with a brief sketch of the bridge's history before considering its relationship with motorways and other trunk routes in the region. Route alignments are shown to be controversial. Subsequent sections profile Humberside as a disadvantaged region, suffering protracted decline of its major economic bases; and outline regional development planning efforts since the 1960's. Theoretical arguments on the impact of infrastructural investment on regional development, together with available empirical evidence, are then discussed.