Hammersmith Bridge Cycle Lane Delayed Until Next Year
Cyclists will be required to dismount to cross at least until April 2025
A cycle lane opened temporarily earlier this year. Picture: H&F Council
August 12, 2024
It has been confirmed that the upgrade of the cycle lane over Hammersmith Bridge will now not be completed until next year.
It was announced back in May that funding of £2.9million had been secured for a resurfacing of the bridge and the creation of a dedicated cycle lane.
Apart from a few months earlier this year, the bridge has had a relatively narrow crossing which is shared between pedestrians and cyclists. In February, a suspension of the gantry works as a result of a collision by a party boat had allowed a wider area to be opened for the use of cyclists, but this closed in May.
At that time, it was announced that the lane would be reopened in November 2024 but now a Freedom on Information request by the local campaign group Hammersmith Bridge SOS has confirmed the project is now scheduled to be completed in April 2025.
The delay has been caused by the need to complete stabilisation works on the bridge and a project by Cadent to divert the gas supply at the north side of the bridge.
This will be frustrating news to both cyclists and pedestrians crossing the bridge as conflicts can occur on the existing narrow walkway when it is crowded and cyclists and scooter users, as well as the occasional motorcyclist, ignore the wardens’ requests and the signs to dismount.
The Barnes Bugle newsletter is conducting a survey of people who are crossing the bridge to get their views on the current situation and how it could be improved. It will pass the results onto Hammersmith & Fulham Council.
The Mayor, the councils on both sides of the bridge and all the MPs in the vicinity of the bridge have confirmed their commitment to a full reopening to traffic but additional work needs to be completed to confirm if the double decker designed proposed to enable reopening is viable and this is not expected to be completed until next year.
Hammersmith Bridge, which is made out of wood and wrought iron with the suspension held in place by cast iron pedestals, is one of the world's oldest suspension bridges and the current estimate for the cost of repair is £250million.
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