Work on the Hammersmith Bridge Restoration Project will start on-site later this month. This follows the extensive safety investigations carried out by world-leading specialist bridge engineers working for Hammersmith & Fulham Council.
Our engineers have now developed an alternative £8.9m stabilisation programme for the bridge which will save local and national taxpayers £21m compared to the previous Transport for London (TfL) proposal.
H&F has approved the investment in full, rather than wait for the Department for Transport (DfT) and TfL to pay their share. It is anticipated that DfT and TfL will subsequently reimburse the council with their one-third shares as announced by the Government last year.
The stabilisation works are necessary to prevent future closures of the 135-year-old Grade II* listed bridge to pedestrians, cyclists and river traffic below. They will take about nine months to deliver, a considerably shorter period than the previous scheme. Works to reopen the bridge to buses and cars will take place following completion of the stabilisation project.
As part of the stabilisation works, H&F Council's specialist contractors will be removing all the casings of the four corner cast-iron pedestals. This work is being undertaken by our contractor FM Conway and their sub-contractors, Freyssinet Ltd and Taziker Industrial Ltd.
Once the four casings have been removed, the contractor is required to fill the pedestals with concrete, install steel frames around them and jack up elements of the structure to replace the bearings.
The casing removals and jacking operations will be undertaken using cranes that will be positioned on the carriageway at both entrances to the bridge.
New rules to keep bridge safe for users
While this work is taking place, we are determined to keep the bridge open to pedestrians and cyclists and restrict any necessary closures to off-peak times. To enable the works to be undertaken safely we will need to close off the main carriageway section of the bridge.
This means that cyclists and e-scooter users will no longer have access over the main carriageway. Instead they will have to dismount and share the footways with pedestrians.
The provision of temporary footway ramps installed alongside the pedestals will enable pedestrians and dismounted cyclists and e-scooter users to be diverted away from the works and onto the footways.
Additionally, to ensure the safety of bridge users, we will be introducing a one-way system for all users. These changes will be prominently sign-posted at the entrances to the bridge. Safety marshals will also be in attendance. The towpath on the Barnes side of the bridge will remain open.
The contractors have advised that the access over the bridge will only be interrupted for safety reasons when jacking operations are in progress. This will only be undertaken for short periods during off-peak hours and advance notification will be given to residents and users.
You can find out more about this project on our Hammersmith Bridge page or by emailing bridgeproject@lbhf.gov.uk
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