The NER began planning for a rival dock east of Alexandra Dock in the 1890s. This led eventually to a joint agreement between the NER and the Hull and Barnsley Railway (HBR), and an Act of Parliament in 1899, the Joint Dock Act.
The NER began making arrangements for a rival port on the opposite side of Alexandra Dock in the late 19th century. This resulted in a collaborative agreement between the NER and the Hull and Barnsley Railway (HBR), which was formalized by an Act of Parliament in 1899, known as the Joint Dock Act.