Last week, Greg was at Hammersmith Bridge, alongside the Minister for Roads, Buses and Places, Baroness Vere, to thank her for the additional £3 million in funding towards the stabilisation works of the bridge.
The MP for Chelsea & Fulham called for more action from the bridge owners, the Hammersmith & Fulham Council, who not only failed to maintain the bridge but have been far too slow to fix it, despite Government help.
Hammersmith Bridge, owned by the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham (LBHF), was suddenly closed on 10 April 2019, leaving more than five miles of the River Thames uncrossable by motor vehicles. The decision to close the Bridge was made by LBHF, based on its assessment of the safety of the structure. On 13 August 2020, the bridge was then fully closed, even for pedestrians and cyclists.
Greg Hands MP continues to call for the full re-opening of Hammersmith Bridge.
Before its closure, 20,000 vehicles used Hammersmith Bridge daily. After the closure, 15,000 of those vehicles were making journeys via alternative routes. The performance of the local road network has deteriorated sharply. Fulham Palace Road takes an additional 3,000 vehicles a day and Putney Bridge takes an additional 4,000 vehicles daily. It seems likely that both Munster Road and Parsons Green Lane were also taking hundreds of extra vehicles a day.
Following its sudden closure, Greg launched a petition calling on the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham to promptly repair and reopen the Bridge.
Greg also hosted a public meeting, which allowed residents to put their questions to officials from TfL and local representatives. LBHF were invited in good time to attend the meeting but refused to do so.
In July 2021 the bridge reopened to pedestrians, cyclists and river traffic. However, Hammersmith Bridge is a vital traffic artery for constituents, whether on foot, on cycle, on public buses or in cars.
Greg, therefore, continues to fight for the bridge to be re-opened fully and safely at the earliest opportunity.
