Hull's £12 million footbridge named after first woman fined for speeding (back in 1914)

The doctor was chosen by a public vote from a shortlist of five, put together by a judging panel, Highways England announced on Thursday. In all 55,000 votes were cast.

Dr Murdoch became Hull's first female GP in 1896 and campaigned to improve the appalling conditions in the city.

She founded the first creche in Hull, a school for mothers and the the Hull Women's Suffrage Society, which was part of the National Union of Women's Suffrage Society.

She also loved driving and became the first woman in the city to own a car - a De Dion.

In 1914 a local newspaper recorded that the GP was driving in Beverley when she was caught breaking the 5mph speed limit and charged with reckless driving.

It said: "PC Gibson said he was standing at Kemp's Corner in the Market Place at about 2.15 on Sunday afternoon... when the tremendous speed of a motor car coming from Toll Gavel attracted his attention".

The policeman claimed the doctor was going at between 18mph and 20mph - a speed the prosecutor at Beverley police court, Mr Paley Scott, later described as "suicidal".

Mr Paley Scott added: "Nobody but a lunatic would think of going at such a speed."

She was fined £3.

Historian Dr Robb Robinson said: "We've been doing work on Mary Murdoch - she was a recipient of one of the 'Hull 100' plaques and she will be included in a book we are writing.

"She was an amazing woman and it's quite clear she used her car to deal with medical emergencies.

"Everybody remarked she lived life at top speed.

"She is a very modern woman - if we put it in a contemporary context would we find anyone to nominate today who hadn't a speeding conviction?

"She was incredibly selfless - the way she died demonstrated that. In poor health at the time she waded through knee-deep snow when called out to see a patient after a Zeppelin raid in 1916.

"She succumbed to influenza in March 1916 and at her funeral quite rightly her car led the funeral procession.

"I can't think of anyone better to name the bridge after."

The bridge was lifted into place over the A63 Castle Street overnight in November and will provide a pedestrian link between the city centre and Hull Marina.

It's hoped the project will help to regenerate areas such as Humber Street and the Fruit Market, which were severed from the rest of the Old Town when the A63 was built 40 years ago.