Transport for London (TFL) is launching a consultation on a temporary cycling and walking bridge to enable people to cross the Thames by foot and on bikes while Hammersmith Bridge is closed for essential structural repairs.
The bridge is currently closed to motor vehicles and is currently only open to pedestrians and cyclists.
TfL is providing support to Hammersmith & Fulham Council with the repairs, but says: “It's likely we will need to completely close the bridge to do this work as quickly and safely as possible.
“The Council has asked us to consider installing a temporary walking and cycling bridge to keep this essential link across the river open.
“At the moment people are able to walk and cycle across Hammersmith Bridge, many of them heading to and from Tube and bus services at Hammersmith station.”
It says that the proposed temporary bridge “is a seven metre wide, prefabricated steel structure, supported by two piers in the river.
“The bridge would be step free, with a 5.5 metre-wide surface for people walking and cycling. Access would be by shallow ramps from Queen Caroline Street on the north bank and from close to the junction of Castelnau and Riverview Gardens on the south bank.”
It says that planning permission for the temporary bridge would be needed from both Richmond-upon-Thames and Hammersmith & Fulham councils.
TfL adds: “We also want to ensure that areas around the landing points of the temporary bridge are fully restored for the benefit of the local community once all the main bridge repair works have been finished and the temporary bridge has been removed.
“We know this proposal will attract a range of views - we want to understand these as soon as possible.”
More details on the temporary bridge as well as a feedback form will be available on the TfL website from 14 March, with responses needed by 23:59 on 22 March.
Feedback can also be given by email to HammersmithBridge [at] tfl.gov.uk or in writing to Freepost, TfL Feedback (with no stamp required).
TfL is also holding public drop-in sessions at the following dates and venues:
Saturday 14 March 2020, 11.00 to 15.00, Riverside Studios, Hammersmith W6 9BN
Tuesday 17 March 2020, 18.00 to 21.00, Castelnau Community Centre, Barnes, SW13 9AQ.
Thursday 19 March 2020, 16.00 to 20.00, Riverside Studios, Hammersmith W6 9BN
Saturday 21 March 2020, 13.00 to 17.00, St Michael & All Angels, Barnes SW13 0NX.
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5 comments
Responses due at 24:59? Is this British for writing to Dave Noll?
Well the clocks do change at some point this month.
It's MMT
Mingo Mean Time
Why not just leave the historic Hammersmith bridge for pedestrians and bikes?
It's heavy vehicles that have damaged it in the first place.
Crossing Hammersmith bridge is now a joy! It feels like a vision of a more enlightened post-car future.
Absolutely.
Unfortunately the mayor's priorities still reside with allowing motor traffic to continue infesting the place.
Hammersmith Bridge is past repair - having been built around the time of the Industrial Revolution - and obviously never intended for the volumes of heavy machinery that have pulverised it.
There is a campaign to keep this bridge car-free with a possible light shuttle bus service - a more feasible option.
Noting the Mayor's response - he supports getting motor traffic back on Hammersmith & Barnes roads (costs?).
The Rotherhithe cycle & wallking bridge of course was scrapped, as costs were possibly going to be nearly 500 million. This was considered too much to spend on cycling and pedestrians.
The Silvertown Tunnel at one billion will be a 4 lane traffic inducement tunnel - with a dedicated lane for HGVs (with regular HGV movements once the new cement works is built at the tunnel entrance).
Newham is the most polluted borough in London and will receive all the additional, incentivised motors - builds up to the inevitable increased congestion.
Cycling or walking will not be permitted.
Contrast all of this rubbish with the new 800m Dutch Bridge for walking, cycling (and flying & roosting if you're a bat! - the design is 'bat-friendly'.
Construction starts in Netherlands on longest cycling bridge in Europe.
The cost? €6.5m (£5.6m)
There will also be an extension of one km to the 800m cited.