Plan to keep stricken grade II*-listed structure as a “monument” also scrapped in taskforce meeting
Plans to either demolish Hammersmith bridge and replace it with a new crossing or keep it as a “monument” have been rejected by a government committee.
The proposals were among six put forward by the Department of Transport as future options for the 138-year-old structure, which has been closed to vehicle traffic since 2019, when cracks appeared in its pedestals.
It is currently only open for cyclists and pedestrians, which could continue on a permanent basis under another plan proposed at the meeting of the Department for Transport (DfT) taskforce in January. Details of the meeting were revealed by the BBC through a freedom of information request.
The taskforce assembled to consider options for the bridge includes DfT officials, council representatives, MPs from either side of the bridge, Transport for London and Sadiq Khan’s deputy mayor for transport, Seb Dance.
Other plans suggested include repairing the bridge for pedestrians, cyclists and single-decker buses or building a new adjacent bridge while retaining the existing structure.
The taskforce ruled out both demolishing the bridge and building a new bridge, but have kept options to either repair the bridge for pedestrian and cycle use only or to fully repair it for vehicle traffic.
The latter proposal, which has been designed by a partnership between Foster & Partners and engineering firm Cowi, would see a temporary double-decker steel structure fitted within the bridge to allow damaged elements to be removed for repair.
The so-called “Foster-Cowi” proposal was costed at around £100m when it was first put forward in 2020.
The grade II*-listed suspension bridge was designed by London sewer engineer Joseph Bazalgette and built in 1887.
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