'Young People Want Cars Banned from Hammersmith Bridge'
New survey also suggests it could host monthly community market in future
A new report by London based think tank Fare City claims that nearly half of young people questioned believe that cars should be banned from crossing Hammersmith Bridge.
A survey carried out by the think tank, which promotes accessible, equitable and sustainable city transport, found that 48% of responders aged 29 and under believed that that bridge should be opened only to public transport, pedestrians and cyclists.
Overall, 41% of people agreed with this view, while a slightly larger 43% believed it should be reopened to all traffic.
The survey, which saw 159 people interviewed on both sides of the river over four days in August, also found that a half of them still cross the river every day, the vast majority - 84% - on foot and the remainder using bikes.
And while the majority - 55% - of older people aged over 70, understandably saw no benefits to the closure, 48% of all respondents, and the same percentage of younger people aged 29 and under agreed it had some benefits.
38% cited improved air quality as the biggest benefit, while 29% said had improved their experience of crossing the bridge and 21% said it had encouraged them to make a positive change of lifestyle.
Fare City founder Charles Critchell, who carried out the resarch, says that many people have a new-found appreciation of the historic bridge.
He says: "Many respondents suggested smaller electric buses, whilst others are clearly concerned that returning to a high-volume traffic flow is a threat to the future of such an iconic structure."
And a new suggestion that the bridge could be used in future as a community market one day a month was well received, with over three quarters - 76% - seeing some benefit. This figure rose to 83% of young people aged 29 and under, with two respondents saying a market ' would bering two sides of the bridge together'.
Charles says: " With London holding its first Car Free Day last weekend, it certainly seems that there is an appetite among city users to reconsider how we use our streets.
"Although the wheels are already in motion for motorised vehicles to be rumbling over Hammersmith Bridge within three years, it seems that the young are already imagining alternative ways in which this iconic structure could be enjoyed by future generations. "
You can follow Fare City on Twitter at @fare_city.
September 27, 2019