Preliminary work to start on Hammersmith Bridge

Preliminary repair works on Hammersmith Bridge will commence in the next few weeks, Hammersmith and Fulham Council (LBH&F) and Transport for London (TfL) have confirmed.

Whilst the full restoration project is still in the planning phase, the Bridge’s decorative cast iron housings need to be partially dismantled to provide access for thorough investigation of the bridge’s structure and for surface preparation.

Set-up for this dismantling and preparation phase will start on Monday 25 November 2019, with works scheduled to start in the next few weeks and run to June 2020. This phase is funded by the initial funding of £25m from TfL and is being carried out by Kier.

Working hours

• Monday to Friday: 8am to 6pm
• Saturday: 8am to 4pm
• Sunday: no works

 Works noise and access requirements

• There will be a generator on the Barnes side of the bridge – this will produce a hum/vibration, but it will be housed inside cabins to minimise this
• Two phases of grit blasting will take place in early 2020 and again towards the of the end of these works in the summer. This will be noisy but will only take place during working hours. It will take place in encapsulated scaffolding areas. The exact dates of the blasting work will be confirmed in advance
• Welfare cabins have been positioned away from residential properties where possible
• All deliveries will occur during working hours only (allowing for a one-hour grace period)
• Riverview Gardens: From Monday 25 November 2019, traffic will not be able to turn into Riverview Gardens from Castelnau. Access will be via Clavering Avenue. Traffic will still be able to exit Riverview Gardens onto Castelnau
• No parking bay suspensions are planned but may be implemented at the request of Kier and their contractors

Public access and transport

From 25 November 2019:

• Pedestrian access will be maintained via safe diversion routes
• Cyclists will need to dismount and push their bikes across the bridge
• Motorcycles and scooters will no longer be permitted on the bridge and will need to seek alternative routes to cross the river
• Because of the works, the e-pedal taxi service, currently delivered by the Barnes Community Association, will cease to operate
• There will be no disruption to current bus services or the Dial-a-ride service
• Access restrictions will continue to be reviewed on a fortnightly basis

Temporary Bridge

Marine engineering firm Beckett Rankine has claimed it is possible to build a temporary road bridge in a short period of time, whilst repair works are ongoing.

LBH&F and TfL have publicly discounted this option and are shortly expected to publish their own temporary foot and cycle bridge proposal.

Nevertheless, due to the significant petition put forward by our residents, Richmond are seeking a meeting with Beckett Rankine to directly review their thoughts.

Complete bridge restoration

The complete bridge restoration is in the concept design phase, which is on track to be completed in Spring 2020. The full restoration is expected to take at least three years. LBH&F and TfL are working on securing funding for the project.

Contact

For complaints or queries specifically relating to work on the bridge during this time, please contact TfL:

• Telephone: 0343 222 1234
• Website: Transport for London - Help and contacts

For general enquiries about the planned restoration works, please visit Hammersmith bridge section on our website or Hammersmith and Fulham Council website.

Notes for editors

If you are a journalist and would like further information about this press release, contact Fenna Maynard on 020 8487 5182.

Reference: P388/19