The UK government has reconvened the Hammersmith Bridge Taskforce to expedite the Hammersmith Bridge’s reopening, addressing critical transport needs for residents in Hammersmith and Fulham.

The 138-year-old bridge has been closed since 2019 due to structural cracks. While GBP 13 million (US$ 16.4 million) has been allocated for preliminary work, the full repair cost exceeds GBP 250 million (US$ 315.4 million). The funding plan, involving contributions from the local council, Transport for London, and central government, remains under discussion. Proposals for the repair of the bridge are the responsibility of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham (LBHF). LBHF has established a Project Board, which includes representatives from the Department for Transport (DfT) and Transport for London (TfL). The current plan is to repair the bridge in 3 main phases:

1. Emergency mitigation (completed).
2. Stabilisation (in progress).
3. Strengthening (in development).

The government allocated GBP 4 million (US$ 5 million) for emergency mitigation works on Hammersmith Bridge, including GBP 2.3 million (US$ 3 million) for blast cleaning of two western pedestals to assess cracking. Additional funding supported activities like installing a Temperature Control System to prevent further damage, conducting residual stress analyses, and investigating chain knuckles. An independent Category 3 review of Mott MacDonald’s bridge assessment was also completed. The works aimed to stabilize the bridge and evaluate its structural integrity.