Crossing the bridge the day after tolls for motorists were cut from £3 to £1.50, she welcomed the closer ties between the North and South Bank, which are united in the Humber Local Enterprise Partnership.
"It is good news for motorists and good news for business.Part of the benefit of putting the local authorities in charge is they can start taking their own decisions and how they will get more people using the bridge," she said.
One of the first motorists to benefit was Goxhill cycle mechanic Sam Burton, 22, who had been deterred from seeking work on the North Bank because of the £36-per-week cost in tolls.
Yesterday, he began his new job at Minster Cycles, in Beverley.