Explore Humber Bridge statistics, including key traffic data, number of crossings, usage figures and trends that help you understand how this iconic bridge is used daily. This page shares official figures and insights into patterns of bridge usage over time.
The Humber Bridge spans the Humber Estuary, linking Hessle in East Yorkshire with Barton upon Humber in North Lincolnshire. When it opened in 1981, it held the record as the world’s longest single-span suspension bridge until 1998. Today, it remains the longest of its kind in the UK, the fourteenth longest worldwide, and one of the longest single span suspension bridges that also provides dedicated access for cyclists and pedestrians.
The road deck has an aerodynamic design, like an upside-down aircraft wing. This keeps the deck stable during high winds. 124 steel box sections weighing over 17,000 tonnes make up the road deck. The concrete towers are 155.5 metres (510 feet) tall and were built to be 36mm further apart from each other at the top than at the bottom, to allow for the curvature of the Earth. Anchorage to anchorage the Bridge is 2,200 metres or around 1.4 miles. The 3 spans are; Hessle side span (280 metres), Barton side span (530 metres) and the main centre span (1410 metres). There is enough wire used in the bridge to go around the Moon more than six times.
| Total Length | 1.38 miles (2.22 km) |
| Main Span | 4626 feet (1410 m) |
| Side Span (north) | 919 feet (280 m) |
| Side Span (south) | 1739 feet (530 m) |
| Clearance Over High Water Level | 98 feet (30 m) |
| Carriageways | Dual two lane carriageway plus footpaths |
| Total Deck Width | 93 feet (28.5 m) |
| Tower Height | 510 feet (155 m) |
| Diameter of Main Cable | 2.2 feet (0.68 m) |
| Main Cables | Two cables, each of 14,948 wires of 5mm diameter and 1,540 N/mm2 UTS plus an additional 800 similar wires in each cable on the Hessle side |
| Maximum Load in One Main Cable | 19,400 tons |
| Total Weight of Wire in Two Main Cables | 11,000 tons |
| Total Length of Wire | 44,000 miles (71000km) |
| Total Weight in Concrete | 480,000 tonnes |
| Weight of Deck Structure | 16,500 tonnes |
| Weight of Main Cables | 11,000 tonnes |
| Hessle Anchorage Foundation Depth | 21 m |
| Barton Anchorage Foundation Depth | 35 m |
| Hessle Tower Foundation Depth | 8 m |
| Barton Tower Foundation Depth | 36 m |
Between April 2024 and March 2025, the Humber Bridge and its surrounding estate generated £3.63 in social and economic value for every £1 invested by the Humber Bridge Board.
According to our latest report from the Social Value Engine, the bridge produces £7.7 million annually in social value.
The Social Value Engine is used by governments, councils, public bodies, and private companies across the UK to assess the true impact and importance of projects.
It uses the internationally recognised United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as its framework, outlining the 17 characteristics of a sustainable global community.
This includes things such as volunteering and community activities, improved well-being through cultural and sports events, training for job skills, access to natural resources, a reduced carbon footprint, and the social impact of local spending and using low-emission vehicles.
The Humber Bridge holds a special place in the lives of those in the region, enabling people to live and work on both sides of the estuary. It’s used by commuters, visitors, cyclists, runners, tourists, and people taking part in charity events in equal measure. We love how much the bridge means to so many people and it’s great to be able to quantify this.
To find out more, please visit: https://socialvalueengine.com