Hammersmith Bridge to get cycle lanes after £2.9m boost from DfT

New dedicated cycle lanes are to be installed across Hammersmith Bridge after the DfT approved funding of £2.9m.

The Grade II-listed bridge was fully closed in 2020 on public safety grounds, after identification of micro-fractures in the structure, which was built in 1887. It was reopened in 2021 to pedestrians, cyclists and river traffic while stabilisation works were undertaken. 

Since then, cyclists have been required to dismount and walk their bikes across the bridge in a shared space with pedestrians.

DfT funding will enable the introduction of new, fully resurfaced cycle lanes, expected in November this year. 

A temporary cycle lane was installed by the Hammersmith and Fulham Council in February, and is set to be open until the stabilisation works resume in May.

This new funding takes total DfT support for the bridge to almost £13m, with the Government, the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and Transport for London (TfL) seeking to fully reopen the bridge to traffic subject to costs. Hammersmith and Fulham Council, which owns the bridge, has said it is unable to cover the costs themselves.

Of the nearly £13m government investment provided so far, an initial £4m went towards immediate mitigation works to the structure, which involved blast cleaning and inspections to the bridge’s pedestals, helping ensure there were no long-term risks to its reopening.

The DfT then provided £2.9m to the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham to stabilise the bridge in 2022, with an additional £2.5m invested in 2023 to inspect the structure.

Leo Murray, co-director of climate charity Possible, said: “This fantastic news is the first sign of reality dawning on the political debate around the future of Hammersmith Bridge, and politicians embracing a positive vision for this crossing. 

“With a proper cycle crossing over the Thames here, most people will be able to make the local journeys they need to in a clean, cheap and healthy way that helps solve London’s environmental problems instead of making them worse.

“Now we need politicians to focus on bringing forward a realistic solution for those who cannot easily walk or cycle over the bridge, and there are viable solutions for this too.”