A safety cordon around St Stephen’s Shopping Centre in Hull has been lifted after bomb disposal experts examined a suspicious package and found no safety concerns.
The 200-metre cordon was put in place on Tuesday evening (February 18) after police were called to Ferensway at about 6.20pm. The Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team arrived just after 9pm to assess the item, and surrounding roads were later reopened once their examination was complete.
Senior Investigating Officer Superintendent Phil Booker said: “While incidents of this nature remain rare in our area, I appreciate it will have understandably caused fear and alarm among the local community, and we would like to thank everyone for their patience while the incident was dealt with.
“I can confirm that while there is no credible threat, and the item has been disposed of, a cordon does remain in place within St Stephen’s Shopping Centre at this time for evidential purposes, and to allow emergency services to safely conclude their inquiries.”
Superintendent Booker said the package was a “cause for concern” when first discovered and had to be examined by specialists to ensure it was appropriately handled. He added: “We have to take all reports of this nature seriously and take all necessary precautions to ensure the safety of our communities.”
The incident caused significant disruption, with no buses or trains running in or out of Hull for several hours, while congestion built up on surrounding roads.
Hull City Council also sought to reassure motorists that any vehicles diverted through Carr Lane as a result of the incident would not receive a ticket.
Hull Truck Theatre cancelled its evening performances, with the venue confirming its box office would contact affected customers about refunds or exchanges.
The interchange reopened after 10.30pm, with both Stagecoach and East Yorkshire bus companies resuming services. While rail services restarted, National Rail warned of continued severe disruption until the end of service, with Northern running replacement buses between Selby and Hull and Leeds to Hull for late-night passengers.
Hull Trains services were also affected, with the already-delayed 6.48pm London to Beverley service terminated at Hull after a two-hour delay from Selby. Passengers heading to Cottingham and Beverley were provided with replacement road transport.