Constituent Assistance

The clearest date we have for this is "early 2024". This timeframe has been confirmed by both the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and Ministers from the DfT. Sarah has written to the DfT to ask them to confirm an exact timeframe, but so far, ministers have refused to provide a clear answer.

In November 2020 Hammersmith and Fulham unveiled a new plan, designed by Foster + Partners and COWI, to build a temporary deck above the existing deck, which would be used by pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles while the main deck in being repaired. This is an exciting proposal that would solve a number of problems. It could also be operational within one year of a contractor being appointed and planning permission granted. In February 2021, Hammersmith and Fulham ordered a feasibility study into it, conducted jointly by Foster + Partners and COWI, which concluded that such a design was indeed feasible using the existing bridge foundations. In October 2022, Hammersmith and Fulham Council selected this solution as their preferred option for the Hammersmith Bridge strengthening works. Unfortunately, since the borough held a series of consultation events on the proposal, it has not released any further information. With the price of the restoration rising exponentially, up to £230 million, it does not appear as if the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham will be willing to move forward with the scheme until the Government has accepted its business case.

Sarah has been campaigning for a new pedicabs service across Hammersmith Bridge when it reopens to cyclists this year. With the Pedicabs (London) Bill making it's way through Parliament, it will finally be possible to properly license and regulate rickshaws in the capital. When this bill becomes law, Sarah is calling for a pilot scheme to be instituted at Hammersmith Bridge to provide a safe convenient route for travellers and a test ground for the new regulations. She has met with the Mayor's Commissioner for Walking and Cycling along with DfT Minister Lord Davies, both of whom have expressed a willingness to explore the initiative. The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham has stated publicly they would back the plan, and now Sarah is focused on ensuring all sides come together to make sure that, for the first time in years, everyone is able to cross the bridge.

In September 2021 I met with Historic England to find out more about the Bridge’s Grade II* listed status. Overall I was reassured to hear that they have and continue to be constructive and collaborative partners in the pursuit of a long-term solution. While these are no doubt extraordinary circumstances and the Bridge is an aging structure, they are clear that from a technical standpoint, they have no reason to believe that it cannot take modern traffic patterns. Rather, it is a case of ensuring the Bridge is repaired in the correct way, technically-speaking, and that enough money is assigned to repair it. They also explained that on the question of destroying the Bridge and constructing a new one, the financial cost would be the same.

Yes. In October 2022, the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham (LBHF) decided that their portion of the cost of the strengthening works (likely to be between £40 and £60 million) would be recovered via a toll or road user charge on the reopened bridge. While no fixed sum has been announced, it seems likely that this charge will be around £3. Emergency vehicles, buses, cyclists and pedestrians are all likely to be exempt from the fee, and it is possible that electric vehicles and hybrids will pay a reduced rate.

The Armed Forces have deferred responsibility to the Department for Transport who have responsibility for transport matters within the UK. I have pressed them on this point several times, however, it seems unlikely the MoD would be willing to take on this extremely expensive project.

You can find the latest news from the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham here: www.lbhf.gov.uk/transport-and-roads/hammersmith-bridge In addition, I send out regular Hammersmith Bridge updates whenever I have news to share with the community. You can sign up to recieve these updates by emailing office@saraholney.com.

No Members of Parliament were invited to be part of the taskforce. Our representative in those forums is Councillor Gareth Roberts, Leader of the London Borough of Richmond. You can contact him via: cllr.g.roberts@richmond.gov.uk

I wrote to Steve Curran, Leader of the London Borough of Hounslow, on the matter as Dukes Meadow resides in Chiswick. Hounslow Council have now shared safe route guidance which you can find here: https://www.hounslow.gov.uk/news/article/1188/new_route_guidance_for_people_affected_by_hammersmith_bridge_closure

Richmond Council has confirmed it will roll-out a series of safety measures to provide assurance to residents as the days get shorter. Measures include:​ Parkguard patrols on Hammersmith to Putney Thames towpath Surface upgrades to towpath on Putney and Barnes sides of the bridge Wayfinding lighting ​The Council will put in place four Parkguard marshals on bikes who will patrol the towpath between Hammersmith Bridge and Beverley Brook from 3-7pm on weekdays. Marshals on the Thames towpath will be DBS checked and able to administer first aid. They will be recognisable by high-visibility clothing, which will carry Richmond Council and Parkguard branding. Remedial works are planned to improve the gravel surface of the towpath for pedestrians and cyclists. The Council also intends to trial ground-level LED lighting to improve wayfinding along the towpath at the points where the path is closest to the riverbank.

In July 2021 there was a change to the 533 bus route. Specifically, the now operates from Hammersmith lower bus station, which TfL hopes will effectively ‘simplify’ the route, reduce its end-to-end running time and improve its overall reliability. The new route will omit certain stops in Chiswick, which TfL feels is sufficiently served by other routes, and should further improve its run time. These changes were originally proposed to take effect from late-August but, given the disruption people have been experiencing, TfL and Metroline brought them in sooner. These changes are of a temporary nature and TfL have assured me that they will continue to review their position on the service, including the frequency and stops. They are keen to assess the new service pattern before making any more changes, and therefore will be keeping the new arrangements for the time being.

This would add a considerable extra length to the 378 and so require extra resources (additional buses and drivers) to run. It would also add a significant journey time for through passengers between Mortlake and Putney Bridge.

This option has been looked at again by TfL and it is not practicable, even as a short-term measure. This is due to the extra buses and drivers needed and the additional length of time onto the bus route.

This would be very difficult to operate and time, and TfL would not be able to justify more than a single vehicle which would be an infrequent service. They would recommend instead to go two stops to Kew Bridge from where there are two bus routes 267 and 391 giving a high frequency bus link to Hammersmith.

You can contact TfL directly via the following webpage: https://tfl.gov.uk/help-and-contact/contact-us-about-buses

Thank you to everyone who completed my recent survey. Over 2300 residents from across the borough responded with nearly half (48%) coming from the significantly affected Barnes area. Key findings from the survey showed that:​ 71% of respondents stated their lives had been negatively impacted by the bridge closure. The main changes to people’s lives has been changes in travel routes (61% driving routes, 56% public transport routes) and where they shop (41%). 93% of respondents want some form of motorised transport over the bridge whether that be just buses or buses and cars. The need for motorised travel was driven by older respondents who may be less able to use forms of active travel An overwhelming 88% of respondents believe the Government should fund the bridge repairs These results clearly show the huge effect the Hammersmith Bridge closure has had on residents. It has led to significantly longer journey times, increased local congestion and a devastating impact on local businesses.