Humber Hovercrafts: ‘Let's bring back these futuristic ways of connecting Grimsby to Hull’

Prior to the Humber Bridge being built, The Humber Estuary was a huge barrier to trade for residents who had campaigned for over 100 years for a bridge or tunnel.

However, the introduction of the hovercraft meant it took just 30 minutes to travel between Grimsby and Hull.

The hovercrafts continued to link people from North East Lincolnshire to Hull until the Humber Bridge was built in 1981. But it now takes much longer than 30 minutes to drive the same distance.

An artist who was born the same year the Humber Bridge opened, which at the time was the longest suspension bridge in the world, is now on a mission to revive the beloved humber hovercraft.

Artist Paul Drury-Bradey, from Impact Storytelling, said: “I've always had this deep interest in the Humber and how to get across it.

“The journey 50 years ago [in the time of the hovercrafts] took half the time it does now.

“It seems mad we’re in the year of levelling up but a journey can take twice as long.”

Paul, 43, hadn’t even heard about the hovercrafts until he saw a post on social media. He was then inspired to discover more about “the hidden history” of this link.

“It’s weird and futuristic,” he said. “I had the idea to map the history and story of the Humber Hovercraft.”

Now he is on a mission to bring back the hovercrafts.

Paul said: “It seems mad we’re in the year of levelling up but a journey can take twice as long.

“People can’t afford a car and trains get dearer and dearer each year.

“Then people complain there’s not enough business and jobs.

“People were ambitious back then and wanted to make it better, why not bring that ambition back?”

Paul is now looking for people with memories of the Humber Hovercraft or big ideas to improve transport and connections in the region as he is launching the humber hovercraft project this summer. He will also be running a series of free workshops.

Get in touch with Paul via the project email [email protected] and follow updates on the project across X (formerly known as Twitter) and Tik Tok via the hashtag #HumberHovercraft.