Hammersmith And Fulham (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Hammersmith bridge could remain closed to vehicles until 2035, warns MP Fluer Anderson, citing delay in repairs since its closure in 2019.
In 2019, a 138-year-old bridge in south-west London that connected Hammersmith and Barnes was closed to cars because of pedestal cracks.
Fleur Anderson, the MP for Putney, stated that
“even if they started [now], it would be 10 years of building”
and that it was unrealistic to expect the bridge to be restored by the conclusion of the present Parliament.
In the five years since the bridge was closed, the Conservative government has failed to “get on with” fixing it. Therefore, she said it might not be fully reopened until 2035. A response from the Conservative party has been requested.
What are the main reasons for the delay in reopening of Hammersmith bridge?
In the years after it closed, the cost of completely restoring and reopening the bridge has increased significantly; it was estimated to be £250 million last year.
Without considerable government assistance, Hammersmith and Fulham Council, the bridge’s owner, lacks the funds to pay these expenses.
The bridge’s construction, which consists of pedestals made of cast iron and wrought iron, needs intricate and time-consuming repairs. Even with immediate financing, the extensive work would take at least five years to complete.
The procedure entails the technically challenging task of removing and rebuilding the pedestals.
The council’s business case for the bridge’s complete rehabilitation has been postponed by the Department for Transport (DfT). Despite the council’s efforts to obtain funds, this has caused progress to stop.
Political disputes over finance schemes, including the proposed toll systems, have complicated progress. Delay and cost increases have also been driven by the supply chain disruptions linked to the ongoing Ukraine crises, impacting materials like steel.
Local initiatives, including as Cadent’s rerouting of the gas supply, have also delayed related infrastructure projects, like the cycling lane upgrade.
The Hammersmith Bridge Taskforce was created in 2020 to manage renovation oversight. It has not held a meeting since November 2021, highlighting a gap in its activity.
Its next meeting is thought to be essential to advancing the repair preparations.
Ms. Anderson stated that her “main concern” was the effect the bridge’s closure was having on her constituency’s bus services. She also claimed that the closure made the road system in the area less resilient to other types of disruption, like utility maintenance.
She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service:
“[For] six years nearly, it’s been closed.
“If they [the last government] had started, and they’d got on with it six years ago, we could have done it, but everything seems to have slowed down.
Steel is less available because of the war in Ukraine. There are variables we couldn’t even have imagined six years ago that have come in, so the longer it’s left the harder it seems to get,”
She continued.
Ms. Anderson responded as follows when asked if it was reasonable to anticipate the bridge being restored by the end of 2029: “No, disappointingly. I think even if they started [now] it would be 10 years of building. So we’re talking a long time away.”
Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary at the time, visited the bridge during the 2019 general election campaign and promised that the Conservative government would
“not allow this just to remain closed.”
In 2020, Mr. Shapps formed a taskforce, but it didn’t meet again until November 2021.
However, Simon Lightwood, Labour’s minister for local transport, is now scheduled to lead the taskforce’s resuming on January 30, 2025.
According to a Department for Transport (DfT) spokesperson:
“We continue to work closely with the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and Transport for London on the bridge, and the department has already provided £13m of funding towards the project to date.
The Hammersmith Bridge Taskforce will provide a valuable forum for stakeholders to discuss the progress of the repair works and potential next steps, as well as the impact on local traffic.”
Prior to the taskforce meeting, Ms. Anderson has encouraged her constituents to write to the DfT regarding the closure’s effects.
To give people an update and get their opinions on the matter, she is also hosting a meeting on Saturday.
After the previous government “refused to engage,” Hammersmith Labour MP Andy Slaughter acknowledged that “restarting the dialogue” to get the bridge back open “is a positive step.”
Additionally, he stated that the “only unresolved issue with the bridge is who is willing or able to pay how much for the repair”.
Sarah Olney, Liberal Democrat MP for Richmond Park, said:
“The failure to commit to repairing Hammersmith Bridge is a stain on the former Conservative government’s legacy.
“The business case for the repairs sat on the minister’s desk for over a year without any action being taken.
“I am hopeful that the reconvening of the taskforce is an indication that the Labour government is ready to step up and commit the government’s share of the funding towards repairing Hammersmith Bridge.”
What is the impact of the closure of Hammersmith bridge on local residents and businesses?
Travel times have increased for locals, with bus trips increasing by more than four times and sometimes reaching 50 minutes, and vehicle trips taking more than 20 minutes longer.
Many locals have been forced to change their travel routes, which has an impact on people who drive and use public transport.
Increased traffic jams as a result of the closure has impacted travel times and raised air pollution levels.
Trade has significantly decreased for businesses that depend on clients from across the river.
A pizza delivery business and a glass supplier have reported notable losses, attributing the decline to customers being deterred by extended delivery times.
Local stores and cafes have reported a decline in foot traffic, with varying impacts depending on their customer base. While some businesses with a loyal local clientele have been less affected, sectors such as dry cleaning and shoe repair have experienced a reduction in activity.