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Factfile - Images - Timeline - Exit List

Location map The A15 spends most of its time following part of the Roman road Ermine Street, charging up in a straight line from Peterborough to Lincoln and then Brigg. The part of it that fits in the Motorway Database is nothing to do with that, however - it's the part that was built in the late 1970s to connect Lincolnshire with Hull, via the Humber Bridge.

The Humber Bridge is an incredible feat of engineering: the longest single-span suspension bridge in the world for 17 years, its two support towers are 155 metres (508ft) tall and are 36mm (1.4 inches) further apart at the top than the bottom to allow for the curvature of the earth. Its main span is 1.41km (0.87 miles) in length.

For all its beauty and ingenuity, the bridge is also a complete white elephant. Built largely for political reasons, it connects nowhere to nothing much, the towns and cities on the opposite banks of the Humber being a little too far for commuting. The astronomical cost of construction mean that the tolls are the highest on any bridge in the UK. Even so, the Humber Bridge Board has reliably lost money ever since the bridge was opened in 1981, despite a refinancing deal in 1996. The tolls, and the good motorway connections at each end, mean that for any journey that starts more than a few miles from either end of the bridge, it is usually just as fast and considerably cheaper to go via the M18 at Goole which is free.

As a result, the A15 between Hull and the M180 is incredibly quiet. The Humber Bridge section carries about 100,000 vehicles a week - a very low number for such a high-quality road - and the section on dry land carries even fewer.

There is now a campaign group, Humber Toll Action, which is pushing for the tolls to be removed. It's a noble aim, which would see the bridge finally used to its full potential, but sadly very unlikely due to the massive debt that would have to be written off and the ongoing maintenance costs which are not cheap.

Factfile

Start	Hessle (A63)
Finish	Barnetby le Wold (M180)
Passes	Humber Bridge
Length	10 miles
Terminates	None
Spurs	None
Meets	None

Images

Views of the A15 from on and off the road. If you have a photo to contribute, contact me.

There are currently no images in this section.

Construction timeline

When the various parts of the A15 were built, listed in chronological order.

Open	Section
1978	Barton-upon-Humber - M180
1981	Humber Bridge

Toll charges

A toll is charged to cross the Humber Bridge both northbound and southbound.

Vehicle class	Toll for single crossing
Motorbikes	£1.20
Cars Motor homes Goods vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes	£2.70
Goods vehicles 3.5 to 7.5 tonnes Cars with trailers Buses up to 16 passenger seats	£4.90
Goods vehicles above 7.5 tonnes with two axles Buses with more than 16 passenger seats	£10.90
Goods vehicles above 7.5 tonnes with three axles	£14.60
Goods vehicles above 7.5 tonnes with four or more axles	£18.30

The prices above are intended as a guide only, and were correct at 9 June 2008. Please check the Humber Bridge official website for up-to-date prices.

Exit List

All the junctions and destinations along the route.

Junction	Northbound				Southbound
	Leeds Goole Selby A63 (M62 ) Beverley York A164 (A1079) Hessle Anlaby A1105 Hull A63	A63	*NORTH* A164	A1105 A63	N/A
	0.5 miles, 2 lanes				0.5 miles, 2 lanes
	Toll station				Toll station
	2.5 miles, 2 lanes
	Humber Humber Bridge				Humber Humber Bridge
					2.5 miles, 2 lanes
	Barton-upon-Humber South Ferriby A1077	A1077		A1077	Barton-upon-Humber South Ferriby A1077
	3 miles, 2 lanes				3 miles, 2 lanes
	Barrow upon Humber New Holland B1206	B1218 B1206		B1206	Barrow upon Humber New Holland B1206
	2.5 miles, 2 lanes				2.5 miles, 2 lanes
	Elsham Industrial Estate				Elsham Industrial Estate
	1.5 miles, 2 lanes				1.5 miles, 2 lanes
(M180 J5)	N/A	M180	A15 (A18) *SOUTH*	A180	Immingham Grimsby A180 Brigg Humberside A15 (A18) Scunthorpe Doncaster M180 Elsham