(Free) Woolwich Ferry a problem for Putney?
The impact of the first tolls across the Thames in the the Capital are become clearer- story 70
I almost missed this - tucked away but telling. London Centric reported
.. the decision to charge for the [Silvertown and Blackwall] crossings is having an unexpected impact on one of the capital’s most traditional modes of transport – and causing major disruption to the Londoners who have used it for years.
An alliance of the cash-strapped, the sat-nav dependent, and those who virulently loathe the mayor of London are using the Woolwich Ferry to avoid paying the newly-introduced tolls just upriver
Three ways to cross the Thames. Two are require tolls. One is free. Drivers vote with their wheels.
When I considered the lessons for Hammersmith Bridge from the Silvertown tunnel, I suggested the same thing could happen in south west London. If crossing Hammersmith Bridge attracts a toll but Chiswick and Putney Bridge are free, then drivers will continue to use those.
If that happens, any hope of long-term relief to Putney Bridge has is at risk.
Hammersmith Bridge Task Force is still sketching out options. But if they are to be credible, they must reckon seriously with funding models, pricing equity across crossings, and the broader patterns of traffic flow that shape everyday London life.