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Hammersmith Bridge to reopen to pedestrians and cyclists

AFP/Getty Images Hammersmith Bridge workman in front of road closure signsAFP/Getty Images
Motorists have not been able to use the bridge since April 2019

Hammersmith Bridge is due to reopen to pedestrians and cyclists this weekend.

The 134-year-old crossing was entirely closed last August when cracks in the pedestals worsened during a heatwave.

Engineers have given the go-ahead after completing safety investigations and thanks to the success of a system to control the structure's temperature.

Both local authorities on either side of the bridge said they were pleased it was now safe to reopen partially.

Some 12,000 pedestrians and 4,000 cyclists used it each day before the closure.

The bridge has been closed indefinitely to motorists since April 2019 when "critical faults" in the cast-iron casing were found.

From Saturday, boats will also be allowed to pass under the bridge again.

Are London’s bridges deteriorating?

A report prepared for Hammersmith Council said checks on the four pedestals and the supporting chains had provided the necessary reassurance.

"The risk of further cracking is now known to be very low, and any that may occur are very unlikely to prompt rapid crack growth due to the now demonstrably stable condition of the bridge structure.

"The application of a permanent solution remains a priority. Without a funded plan for repair, the limited current use must cease eventually.

"It is not acceptable in managing safety risk to rely upon interim measures indefinitely."

The councils had been exploring the option of a passenger ferry service, including plans for piers on either side of the Thames.

Foster + Partners/COWI Proposed double-decker bridgeFoster + Partners/COWI
A double-decker bridge has been mooted as a temporary solution

The long-term future of the bridge, and who should pay for repairs or replacement, remains a controversial issue.

It has set the Conservative government against London's Labour mayor Sadiq Khan, who heads Transport for London (TfL), and Labour-controlled Hammersmith Council, which owns the bridge.

Last month, the government announced it would pay no more than a third of the cost of fully repairing Hammersmith Bridge, which is expected to exceed £100m.

The Department of Transport said itself, TfL and Hammersmith and Fulham Council (LBHF) must each agree to cover "a share" of the bill.