Forum Topic

Hammersmith bridge (again)

www.mylondon.news/news/west-london-news/hammersmith-bridge-toll-could-charged-26694350possibly £200m and 10 years, time to scrap it and build a new one imo

Adam Tripp ● 1026d21 Comments

Well, the difference in population may be the answer?Scottish borders: 115,700 (2018)Northumberland: 319,010 (2019)London: 8.982 million (2019)

Ivonne Holliday ● 1024d

"Managed decline it is then. And widen Putney High Street, I guess."Not sure what your point about PHS is.If you want to preserve the bridge, the last thing you should do is put it back and have it used for purposes it was not designed for.Getting value for investment and government funding should not be mutually exclusive.

Ed Robinson ● 1024d

No, it's a figure taken from this website:https://www.hammersmithbridge.org.uk/s/14/about-the-bridgeand a difference totally irrelevant to the point - but feel free to spend your afternoon getting to the bottom of it.

Michael Winstanley ● 1024d

"1800 buses per day."Is this the opposite of Richard's evaporation theory?838 busses according to dft in 2018/19. 22,363 in total.

Ed Robinson ● 1024d

Union Bridge: 137x5m, 3 tonne max load, traffic frequency?Hammersmith bridge 210x13m, 7.5 tonne max load, traffic load 25,000 cars + 1800 buses per day.

Michael Winstanley ● 1025d

Awfully busy looking bridge, that one.

David Ainsworth ● 1025d

It can be done cheaper, surely?https://www.scotsman.com/news/world/historic-bridge-linking-scotland-and-england-to-reopen-after-ps105-million-renovation-4104587

Jonathan Callaway ● 1025d

A bridge is always a work in progress, surely. The Walton bridge is sixth in a sequence, several of which were not very good, although the first was very pretty."If it is too risky to insure why should the tax payer foot the bill, or should I say future tax payers and generations?"Managed decline it is then. And widen Putney High Street, I guess.

David Ainsworth ● 1025d

I think more than that has been spent on repairs and closure.It's not as if repairing the bridge is going to come with any guarantee.What about insurance? Was it insured?If they repair it will the get insurance against future failure?If it is too risky to insure why should the tax payer foot the bill, or should I say future tax payers and generations?

Ed Robinson ● 1025d

"The bridge cost £32.4m, with £28m from the Department for Transport and Surrey County Council picking up the bill for the rest."Ten years ago DfT picking up 7/8ths of the bill, but now?

David Ainsworth ● 1025d

Walton bridge cost £32.4 million in 2013.I'm not suggesting the same type of bridge but the current plans make no sense at all. £200 million is a crime. Why haven't they considered alternatives?"Bridge between Walton and Shepperton took more than a year to build at a cost of £32.4m"https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/new-walton-bridge-officially-opened-5069069

Ed Robinson ● 1025d

the river is quite wide at Hammersmith so I guess my idea would need a central support, they could build one identical to the 2 current supports, it would quickly blend in and I'm sure people would be happy having all the bells & whistles reattached knowing that they have a brand new, robust road bridge

Adam Tripp ● 1025d

It was feasible in 1996 for the original D-Day Pegasus Bridge (rather smaller).https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pegasus_Bridge#/media/File:03_Pegasus_Bridge2.JPG

David Ainsworth ● 1025d

apologies for not being clear, when I wrote time to scrap it I meant the idea of fixing it. Perhaps they should dismantle it, build a solid road bridge and then re-attach the architecture without it having to exist as a suspension bridge - the cables would be purely ornamental - not sure if this is feasible.

Adam Tripp ● 1025d

"I am not too sure what you mean about Thatcher (again)?"H&F were given the Hammersmith Bridge responsibility when Thatcher scrapped the GLC."In 1986 the GLC was abolished. The Local Government Act 1985 transferred non-trunk road bridges in their entirety to one of the two London boroughs that each bridge lay within – the choice of borough to be decided between the two councils, or failing agreement, by the Secretary of State for Transport. In addition to the bridge, the London borough taking responsibility also gained 100 yards of approach road from the other borough. For Hammersmith Bridge, on 31 March 1986 the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham took responsibility." (Wikipedia)

David Ainsworth ● 1025d

I suspect its listed status would preclude advertising displays?

Michael Ixer ● 1025d

Why can't the bodies involved ask a rich commercial sponsor to fund the necessary repairs? They get naming rights or advertising rights, perhaps for a fixed period. Rather like sports stadia. I'd start by asking the airlines that fly into Heathrow as it is on their flightpath. Emirates Hammersmith Bridge here we come....

David Sharp ● 1025d

I am not too sure what you mean about Thatcher (again)?Hammersmith Bridge is as iconic as Albert Memorial, Trafalgar Square, Wellington Arch, to name just a few.  It is of national importance!  So, I agree, the central government should take responsibility.  But, as narrow minds dictate, H&F is run by Labour and Richmond by the Liberal Democrats.  So the Conservative government will not be too supportive?The bridge should not be scrapped, by any stretch of the imagination!  It could be relocated and become the garden bridge that Johnson was so keen on.  :-) :-)Or, it could be sold to foreign governments, as London Bridge was.....  Or reassembled in the Northern Powerhouse to boost their economic growth?  But, a river crossing in Hammersmith is desperately need!

Ivonne Holliday ● 1026d

As I understand it the delays are primarily caused by arguments over who pays to fix it. Legally it's H&F council's responsibility but they have no money. Neither does TfL; hence, the government is the only one who can but a Conservtive government apparently won't assist Labour councils. Perhaps the only way to resolve it is a Labour government in Westminster? Possibly a Green or LibDem government would as well but without PR voting I'd put my money on pigs flying first; oink, flap (••)

Michael Ixer ● 1026d

If the council managed to scrap the Grade II* listed bridge, doubtless against legal objections (costly?), I'd imagine that the new bridge would cost a bit too. Possibly as much as the restoration of the old.If the bridge is that important and expensive (and historic), surely it is a central government responsibility, not one for a local authority.

David Ainsworth ● 1026d

They can build buildings that nearly reach the sky, but can't fix or renew Hammersmith Bridge. Might be more to it than meets the eye.  Trying to make it look like so much traffic on the roads, when it's going over Putney Bridge both ways, because it's the only way if people work each side of the bridge they can get there.

Barbara Stevens ● 1026d