Hammersmith Bridge updates
Statements, research reports and guidance about plans for reopening Hammersmith Bridge.
Hammersmith Bridge is a suspension bridge that was opened, in its current incarnation, in 1887. Since its opening, the structure’s use has changed dramatically with the bridge carrying modern motor vehicles until April 2019.
The structure gained grade II* listed status in 2008.
Ownership and responsibility
Ownership of the bridge was transferred to London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham (LBHF) in 1985. LBHF has a legal duty under Section 41(1) of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the highway.
Therefore, the responsibility for maintaining the bridge, and making decisions on its repair, lies with the borough.
Closures
The bridge is open to pedestrians, cyclists and river traffic.
Hammersmith Bridge is closed to motor traffic. This was decided in April 2019 by LBHF, based on its assessment of the safety of the structure.
Engineering assessment
Engineers working for LBHF established that the roller bearings on top of the pedestals, which support the bridge’s suspension chains at either end of the bridge, had seized.
This prevents some necessary movement in the structure and resulted in loading of the cast iron pedestals, which isn’t what they are designed for. This has caused tensile stresses in the pedestals and resulted in micro-fractures appearing in some of the pedestals.
It should be noted that micro-fractures have been a feature of the pedestals for quite some time – some potentially dating back to the time of the bridge’s construction, known as casting defects.
Given the poor condition of the bridge, it is monitored using an acoustic monitoring system. There was an acoustic event recorded on the north-east pedestal in August 2020 and one of the 13 cracks already in the pedestal, was found to have grown. As a result, LBHF, after consulting its engineers, decided to close the bridge to cyclists, pedestrians and river traffic.
The government commissioned AECOM and fracture mechanics and materials expert, Professor Norman Fleck of the University of Cambridge, to review available information on the condition of the bridge.
These engineering reports were published on 10 December 2020. The reports concluded that, given the greater knowledge about behaviour of the structure, LBHF should revisit the risk assessment and Case for Continued Safe Operation. The Mott MacDonald report, commissioned by LBHF, agreed with these findings, subject to further investigations.
The government provided £4 million in the Transport for London (TfL) extraordinary funding and finance agreement of 31 October 2020, to enable further investigations needed to confirm the safety of the bridge.
With the enhanced monitoring regime and better knowledge of the structure’s behaviour, we set a condition in the TfL extraordinary funding agreement of 1 June 2021 that – following blast cleaning and visual inspection, and if no further fractures are found on the western pedestals – the Board responsible for the Case for Continued Safe Operation, reporting into LBHF, should evaluate the new engineering evidence and reconsider the risk assessment for reopening of the bridge to pedestrians, cyclists and river traffic, in limited and controlled circumstances.
Following the government’s investment, the Board responsible for the Case for Continued Safe Operation had the information needed to make the decision on reopening the bridge. LBHF informed the Department for Transport (DfT), that the Board had confirmed the bridge was safe to be reopened to pedestrians, cyclists and river traffic; the borough then took the decision to open the bridge. Baroness Vere, Cllr Gareth Roberts and Cllr Stephen Cowan reopened the bridge to pedestrians, cyclists and river traffic on 17 July 2021.
The Hammersmith Bridge Taskforce
The government wants to see Hammersmith Bridge opened to all users, including motor vehicles, as soon as it is safe to do so.
A government-led taskforce, originally chaired by Baroness Vere, was set up by DfT in September 2020 to work towards the safe reopening of the bridge. The taskforce brought together key stakeholders: LBHF, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, TfL, the Greater London Authority and the Port of London Authority.
The taskforce met 16 times between the 1st October 2020 and the 25th November 2021. The Minister has agreed not to call a further meeting until there is either an issue that requires unblocking between members, or a significant milestone that needs discussion or celebration. The taskforce published a public statement following each meeting, covering the main points of discussion and where progress has been made.
Communication with residents
The government understands the practical problems the closure of Hammersmith Bridge is causing for many people and vehicles and recognises the importance of keeping those impacted by the closure well informed of progress.
The leaders of LBHF and the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames have agreed to keep local residents fully informed.
Proposals for repairs
Proposals for the repair of the bridge are the responsibility of LBHF. LBHF has established a Project Board, which includes representatives from TfL and DfT.
The current plan is to repair the bridge in 3 main phases:
- Emergency mitigation (completed).
- Stabilisation (in progress).
- Strengthening (in development).
Emergency mitigation
The funding of £4 million for emergency mitigation works was provided by the government as part of its extraordinary funding and financing package agreed with TfL on 31 October 2020. The blast cleaning cost £2.3 million with the remaining funding paying for the residual stress analyses and chain knuckle investigations.
The works have now been completed and enabled the reopening of the bridge in a limited and controlled way on 17 July 2021.
Emergency mitigation included several activities:
- installation of a Temperature Control System that helps prevent further cracking
- removal the ornate cast iron casings from, and blast cleaning of, the 2 western pedestals, enabling an assessment of the full extent of the cracks in those 2 pedestals
- an independent Category 3 check of the Mott MacDonald assessment of the bridge
- residual stress analyses of the pedestals
- chain knuckle investigations
As part of the TfL extraordinary funding and financing agreement, announced on 1 June 2021, we asked that the independent board responsible for the Case for Continued Safe Operation, reporting to LBHF, consider this new evidence and conduct a new assessment for a controlled and limited reopening of the bridge to pedestrians, cyclists and river traffic. That Board confirmed that the bridge was safe to reopen; the bridge was reopened on 17 July 2021.
Business case
The government is not responsible for maintaining the bridge, nor does it have the powers to make decisions on its repair. To progress this project, LBHF, as asset owner, is required to outline its preferred engineering solution and how this will be funded.
LBHF is responsible for completing separate business cases for the stabilisation and strengthening repair works. This will outline all the relevant information regarding the proposed scheme investment and the preferred approach to repairs. All government investments are subject to a business case, which outlines the benefits, costs and risks of the proposed project.
This requirement is not unique to LBHF or Hammersmith Bridge and is a standard requirement for local authority infrastructure projects of this nature. This process protects the national taxpayer and ensures that only the most robust projects receive government support.
LBHF is aware that the business case process should follow the HM Treasury Green Book five case model – including a fully costed financial case to ensure fairness for all taxpayers.
The 2 key elements of the business case are:
- Stabilisation: the stage 1 works to stabilise the bridge are estimated to take 46 weeks and will allow for the permanent reopening of the bridge to pedestrians, cyclists and river traffic.
- Strengthening: these works are estimated to take 30 months and will allow the bridge to be reopened to vehicles, including buses.
Timelines are from the date the works commence and are consecutive, not parallel.
LBHF submitted a business case for stabilisation to DfT at the end of February 2022 and this received approval on 17 March 2022.
This approval confirmed DfT’s contribution of one-third (£2.93 million) of the cost of the stabilisation works (£8.8 million). As a result, stabilisation works are now underway and should be complete by the end of 2022.
However, LBHF is yet to decide its preferred engineering solution for the strengthening works. The government cannot give financial support for this stage until a robust business case is submitted that outlines the borough’s preferred option for repair and demonstrates value for money.
Funding
TfL and the London boroughs are responsible for local road maintenance, including bridge repairs. LBHF, as the asset owner, is responsible for safety and maintenance of Hammersmith Bridge.
In the most recent TfL extraordinary funding and finance package agreed on 30 August 2022, the government committed to part-funding a solution to the repair of Hammersmith Bridge. The government has committed to directly contributing up to one-third of the total funding for the project, but no more.
The government’s support for TfL’s third of Hammersmith Bridge repairs will end at the point that TfL reaches financial sustainability, or upon the expiry of this Funding Settlement, whichever event occurs first.
The government has provided LBHF with almost £7m of funding to-date. This includes £4m invested in emergency works following the full closure of the bridge, as well as the further £2.93m of funding granted to LBHF for the initial stabilisation works earlier this year.
DfT, TfL and LBHF are working to develop and agree a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on our agreed next steps and respective funding contributions. This will show our shared commitment to fixing this problem – and in the long-term – to reopening the bridge to motor vehicles.
Government funding is subject to costs being scrutinised by all parties, approval of a full business case and LBHF and TfL committing to their respective one-third contribution for the project.
LBHF is responsible for submitting a robust business case, which includes a completed financial case and an outline of its preferred approach for repair.
Temporary measures
Work on the bridge to enable permanent reopening for pedestrians and cyclists, vehicular traffic and river traffic will take time.
The government has invested £4 million, which has funded engineering investigations giving LBHF greater confidence in the way the bridge behaves. This enabled LBHF to reopen the bridge in a limited and controlled way to pedestrians, cyclists and river traffic on 17 July 2021. It is crucial that LBHF continue with its business case to ensure that the bridge can be permanently reopened to pedestrians, cyclists and river traffic and, in time, motor vehicles.
Before those government-funded investigations were complete, the taskforce agreed in October 2020 that a ferry service would be the preferred transport solution to enable crossing in the short term. Following the limited and controlled reopening of the bridge, taskforce members have re-evaluated the need for such a service, the potential for its future use and its value for money.
In November 2021, the taskforce ratified the decision to cancel plans for the ferry service. This decision was taken as it was not anticipated that the bridge would need to close for any significant period of time during repairs. Should this change as the engineering proposals are developed further, the options for a temporary crossing can be revisited
Temporary crossing proposals are being considered including those which help with traffic congestion. Foster + Partners and COWI have presented their vision for a temporary truss structure to the taskforce. LBHF subsequently commissioned a feasibility study into this potential approach. In partnership with LBHF, our engineers have reviewed the study. If deemed feasible and acceptable to LBHF, the borough will need to incorporate this into the business case.
River traffic
On 17 July 2021, the river reopened to all users.
The river is subject to closure due to alarm activation or engineering works. Please contact the Port of London Authority regarding any restrictions on the river at Hammersmith Bridge.
Correspondence about the Hammersmith Bridge
Statements from the Hammersmith Bridge Taskforce
News
Research and reports
Updates to this page
Last updated 23 March 2022 + show all updates
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Updated business case and funding sections.
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The decision to cease plans for a temporary ferry service at Hammersmith was ratified by taskforce consensus as it is not anticipated the bridge will need to close for any significant period of time during repairs. Added Taskforce statement from 25 November 2021 meeting.
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Added letter from Baroness Vere regarding Hammersmith Bridge.
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Hammersmith Bridge reopened to pedestrians, cyclist and river traffic on 17 July 2021.
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Taskforce statement from 3 June 2021 meeting added.
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Added information on funding and updated the business case.
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Taskforce statement from 29 April 2021 meeting added.
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Uber Boat announced to run Hammersmith ferry plus alterations to controlled and limited river vessel crossing timings
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Published Hammersmith Bridge Taskforce meeting, 25 March 2021.
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Updated information on temporary measures and river traffic.
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Added Hammersmith Bridge Taskforce meeting statement, 25 February 2021.
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Added Communicating to residents and updated the following sections: Engineering assessment, Hammersmith Bridge Taskforce, Temporary measures and River traffic.
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Added statement from 17 December meeting.
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First published.