Embarrassing, humiliating, a microcosm of why we can’t get anything built in this country. Pick your howl of anguish then treble it: this is the story of Hammersmith Bridge. The crossing was shut in April 2019 by Hammersmith and Fulham council after safety sensors detected “dangerous micro-fractures” in the cast-iron pedestals that hold the suspension system in place. It reopened to cyclists and pedestrians in July 2021, but drivers have had no choice but to divert to Chiswick or Putney.
Those who live or work far from the area ought to know that this bridge was no minor crossing. Before its closure, it carried 22,000 vehicles a day and was used by seven bus routes. This sad state of affairs is damaging businesses and heaping endless hours on to the commutes of workers every single month. The excuses are mounting, if not congealing, but start with money. As our City Hall and Transport Editor Ross Lydall reveals, the cost of repairing the bridge has ballooned to £250 million, roughly £100 million up on previous estimates. This is driving very real fears that it will never fully reopen.
