Hammersmith Bridge will be closed for five 24-hour periods on Friday to Saturday evenings in the coming weeks for repair work.
Our expert engineers need to lift the 137-year-old cast iron bridge and replace the corroded, seized components with new rubber bearings.
To keep everyone safe while the historic bridge is lifted, it will be temporarily closed to pedestrians and cyclists from 9pm for 24 hours on the following five dates:
- From Friday 1 November 9pm to Saturday 2 November 9pm
- From Friday 8 November 9pm to Saturday 9 November 9pm
- From Friday 15 November 9pm to Saturday 16 November 9pm
- From Friday 22 November 9pm to Saturday 23 November 9pm
- From Friday 29 November 9pm to Saturday 30 November 9pm.
We apologise for the inconvenience. We've tried to limit the disruption by avoiding school and work commuting times. River traffic will not be affected.
To plan your journey, visit the Transport for London website.
The next steps
Eight roller bearings sit between each pedestal and saddle. The bearings are supposed to roll as the historic suspension bridge responds to movement.
Due to decades of unchecked corrosion they stopped working. There was a serious risk that the bridge could suddenly collapse, so we had to shut it.
Our expert engineers designed a pioneering solution.
After the outer plates are removed from the corroded bearings, hydraulic jacks will be installed between them. Their shape allows them to slide into place under the saddle before being inflated.
The jacks work like the tool used to lift a car to change a tyre. Once the jacks raise the saddle, the corroded bearings will be removed.
Four new rubber bearings will be placed in each corner and permanently replace the old, seized bearings.
Future of Hammersmith Bridge
Meanwhile, our engineers are currently resurfacing the bridge's deck. Watch this video as Floss Willcocks, an assistant engineer at our contractor COWI, explains the ongoing work.
We've taken up nearly 1,000 timber and steel panels that line the bridge deck. Engineers are working around the clock to remove the screws the bolt the steel panel down. Two teams work in tandem above and below the bridge.
Once the on-site work is complete, we'll fully re-open the entire length of the bridge for pedestrians and cyclists in the Spring. This means you will no longer need to dismount from your bicycle and you'll be able to enjoy a better, smoother surface for riding.
In April 2023 the Department for Transport agreed to H&F's request for funding towards carriageway repair and installation of a new cycle lane on the bridge, once stabilisation is complete. An H&F spokesperson said: "We are grateful to the DfT for the £2.9million carriageway funding and look forward to its approval of our business case for the full restoration of the historic bridge."
For the latest Hammersmith Bridge updates, visit our webpage and keep an eye on our social media.
