The saga over the five-year closure of Hammersmith Bridge took an unexpected new twist on Monday when the Government allocated almost £3m for a new cycle lane.
This is due to be open by November and, with the row over who pays the £250m bridge repair bill still unresolved, could remain in place for years.
However, Transport Secretary Mark Harper insisted the Government remained committed to fully reopening the bridge, which links Hammersmith and Barnes, to cars and buses “as soon as possible”.
Cyclists have been able to ride across the bridge since February while repairs under the carriageway – caused when it was hit last December by a “party boat” carrying West Ham fans – are carried out.
This temporary cycle lane will close early next month when the repairs are completed. Cyclists will then have to revert to pushing their bikes across the bridge, alongside pedestrians.
The new cycle lane – which will cost £2.9m and involve resurfacing the bridge’s road surface – will keep cyclists separate from pedestrians. The Department for Transport said it would be a “significant upgrade” on the temporary lane in use at present.
In a statement to the Evening Standard, Mr Harper said Hammersmith Bridge had been a London landmark for almost 140 years and a “crucial road artery” connecting communities, businesses and tourists.
He said: “That’s why this Government is committed to reopening the bridge to all traffic as soon as possible, and today’s fresh £2.9 million investment to open a new, more durable cycle lane bears testament to that commitment.
“While it’s the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham who own the bridge and are responsible for its maintenance, this latest Government funding will enable the resurfacing of the main bridge carriageway to introduce a new cycle lane, expected in November this year, until further strengthening work can begin.
“The Government has now provided almost £13 million to support efforts to restore the bridge, with today’s investment another important step towards reopening this iconic London landmark for motorists, bus passengers and all road users, as soon as possible.”
The Grade II* iron bridge, which opened across the Thames in 1887, was closed on April 10, 2019, by its owners, Hammersmith and Fulham council, on safety grounds after cracks were detected.
Pedestrian access was later reinstated but vehicles remain banned, forcing many motorists to divert via Putney or Chiswick bridges.
Last week Zoe Garbett, the Green mayoral candidate, said the bridge was “working by accident” and should remain a pedestrian and cycle crossing, with cars permanently banned – a move that would save taxpayers £250m.
Mayor Sadiq Khan wants the bridge reopened to vehicles. A draft deal would involve Transport for London, Hammersmith and Fulham council and the Department for Transport each paying a third of the cost of repairs – with the council recouping its share via a toll on motorists. However the escalating costs may have put a full repair out of reach.
Greg Hands, the Minister for London and Tory MP for Chelsea and Fulham, said: “This new funding shows the Government is committed to Hammersmith Bridge.
“But now the Council and TfL need to step up and get the bridge reopened to buses, cars and emergency vehicles, as they’ve repeatedly pledged to do.
“It’s been five years of inaction from Hammersmith and Fulham since the bridge closed in 2019 and people have lost patience.”
A spokesman for Hammersmith and Fulham Council said: "We are grateful to the DfT for the £2.9million carriageway funding and look forward to its approval of our business case for the full restoration of the historic bridge."
Sarah Olney, Liberal Democrat MP for Richmond Park, said: “Funding for a cycle lane on the bridge is welcome, but this small step does not hide the fact that no further commitment has been made by Ministers towards fully repairing the bridge.
"Almost five years since the Conservatives first vowed they would fix the bridge back in 2019, we are still waiting for them to honour their pledge. It is time for them to honour their word, step up to fund the repairs and end this ongoing nightmare for local residents.”
