Hammersmith Bridge – Where did 25,000 vehicles go?
7 days ago
- #urban-planning
- #infrastructure
- #transport
- Hammersmith Bridge, a Victorian suspension bridge, was closed in 2019 due to dangerous micro-fractures discovered in its structure.
- The closure led to 25,000 daily vehicle trips being disrupted, but six years later, 9,000 of those trips have 'evaporated' as people adapted to alternative transport modes.
- Despite initial predictions of economic downturn, local spending in Barnes and Hammersmith increased post-closure, and air quality improved.
- The proposed £250m restoration plan by Foster & Partners is stalled due to funding disputes among stakeholders: LBHF, TfL, and DfT.
- A cheaper, innovative solution involving autonomous electric pods (costing £10m) was proposed but rejected by LBHF, highlighting systemic decision-making paralysis.
- The bridge's closure has disproportionately affected elderly, disabled, and low-income residents, who lost direct access to essential services.
- The Victorian bridge was built in four years for £83,000 (£9.5m today), while modern stabilisation works cost £48m, reflecting inflated costs due to regulatory and labor expenses.
- Alternative proposals, including demolition and rebuild, are hindered by the bridge's Grade II listed status, despite potential cost savings.
- The closure exemplifies broader issues in UK infrastructure: bureaucratic red tape, lack of political will, and misaligned priorities.
- The essay argues for rethinking the problem—focusing on mobility solutions rather than restoring outdated traffic patterns—and leveraging technology for future-proof infrastructure.