Hammersmith Bridge funding decision 'in the coming weeks', says Roads minister

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A ‘final decision’ on future Department for Transport (DfT) funding for Hammersmith Bridge will be taken ‘over the coming weeks’, according to a letter from Simon Lightwood MP, the Minister for Roads and Buses.

Mr Lightwood was replying to Fleur Anderson MP (Labour, Putney), who is hosting a rally at the Bridge on Saturday 24 January. The rally starts on the Barnes side of Hammersmith Bridge at 2pm. Tickets are available here - Hammersmith Bridge Action Event.

At noon, a coalition including the London Cycling Campaign, Living Streets, Mums for Lungs and Wheels for Wellbeing will hold its own rally. Their aim is to keep the Bridge open for pedestrians and cyclists, while strengthening it enough to support lightweight ‘people movers’ for residents who cannot comfortably walk or cycle across the span.

Confirmation from Minister for Roads and Buses

The letter also confirms the Hammersmith Bridge Task Force will meet this month, and will revisit actions from the previous meeting including:

.. potential engineering options for the next stage of the project and an assessment of the traffic levels in South-West London.

The full letter is below.

Notes & thoughts

A first read of the Minister’s wording suggests the Government wants to sound close to a resolution ‘or at least close to a decision.

Mr Lightwood talks about ‘the project’.

The ‘next steps of the project’.

The ‘potential engineering options for the next steps of the project’

And a ‘final decision on future DfT funding’.

‘Final’ is a curious word to use.

Any politician—local, regional or national—who tries to break the current stalemate deserves some credit. But calling the coming decision final feels like an overreach

Let’s count the ways.

First, this is a minister speaking for a government that has already shown it can change course. Sometimes quickly, sometimes clumsily. But quite regularly. It has form.

Second, even if the Department agrees to fund some or all of what is needed, events can overtake plans. President Trump might .. well, anything is possible. Or a deterioration on NATO’s eastern flank, for example, could force a sharp shift in priorities and spending.

Third, at best this would be a final decision for this Parliament. Three and half years, at most. After the political leadership might change. Who knows what a renewed Labour Party might prioritise. Both Conservatives and Liberal-Democrats want to restore vehicles to the Bridge.

The range of options available to the UK Government remains largely unchanged. They could fully fund, partially fund, provide conditional support, delay or reject outright the restoration of vehicles.

‘Coming weeks .. ‘ suggests we won’t have to wait long to find out.

One other thing.

Whatever the minister decides, he needs to show his workings. This will be contentious either way. Residents deserve to see the logic because this won’t just be a decision about a London bridge. It will be a bellwether for what the government believes about cities, spending, climate commitments, and the everyday trade-offs of London life. And that discussion needs to continue.

In the meantime, Richmond Cycling Campaign has a useful summary of the impact of the Hammersmith Bridge being open.

To walking and cycling. It should stay like that, permanently.