Cameras which have appeared along Hull's Freetown Way are linked to plans to return it to two lanes, the council has said.

Hull City Council has installed the cameras along the road to collect data on traffic flows as plans for works which also include revamped cycle lanes are drawn up. A council spokesperson said the data was required for those designing the scheme to find the best way to implement the works.

It comes as the council announced last month that plans to redesign the road were being drawn up. The road, which runs from the junction of Spring Bank, Beverley Road and Ferensway to North Bridge, is set to be returned to two lanes as part of the plans.

There are also plans to replace the on-road cycle lanes installed in 2020 with new dedicated ones on extended pavements as part of works set to begin early next year. Council Leader Cllr Mike Ross said when the plans were announced they would help keep the city's roads moving and encourage cycling.

A Government grant worth almost £3m is being used to fund the scheme. Transport Secretary Mark Harper said it came as part of £5.1m for cities across Yorkshire and the Humber to make roads safer and cut congestion.

The funding for Hull is also set to be used for improvements on Holderness Road to the border with the East Riding. Congestion along Freetown Way was an issue ahead of May's local elections and Labour's Cllr Daren Hale said their group would back returning to two lanes if it took power.

The rise in delays on the stretch was blamed on the decision to reduce it to one lane either way when cycle lanes were installed on Labour's watch in 2020. The scheme was done under the Government's Active Travel programme which aimed to encourage walking and cycling following the easing of the first coronavirus lockdown measures.

The council's spokesperson said the cameras had been installed as part of the ongoing scheme. The spokesperson said: "Detailed traffic flow data is a requirement as part of the design phase of this scheme as we explore how best to implement the works, including new off-road cycling infrastructure and returning this stretch of road to two lanes."

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