No Immediate Reopening of Hammersmith Bridge to Pedestrians
Councillor says that it could be at least two months before access returns
Wesley Harcourt. Member for the environment Hammersmith and Fulham Council
The councillor responsible for environmental matters at Hammersmith & Fulham Council has said that could be at least two months before restrictions on access to Hammersmith Bridge for pedestrians and cyclists can be removed.
In an interview given to the BBC Wesley Harcourt said, “We hope to be able to get a temperature control system in place in the next couple of weeks, monitor that, and if that shows that the cracks have stabilised then hopefully we will be able to reopen the bridge to pedestrians and cyclists in the not too distant future but we are looking at a minimum of eight to ten weeks or a bit longer.”
Following technical advice, Hammersmith & Fulham Council have took the decision on 13 August to close the bridge without prior warning to all traffic – including pedestrians, cyclists, and river traffic. The Thames Path on both sides of the bridge is also closed.
Move was made after it was found that more cracks had appeared in the structure.
Contractors working on behalf of the council and TfL discovered the deteriorating condition of the bridge when they were investigating an area of high stress on the structure. It is believed that high temperatures at the time may have caused a worsening of the condition of the bridge.
September 4, 2020