HBTF hunts VFM but misses SR?
The Bridge Task Force is going back to basics: review costings and agree useful data with which to inform decisions - story 38
The first meeting of the Hammersmith Bridge Task Force (HBTF) in three years ended in near silence. According to the Barnes Bugle, local MPs invited as observers were asked to keep details of the discussion confidential.
One MP, however, did not get the message.
Andy Slaughter, MP for Hammersmith and Chiswick (Labour), writing in ChiswickW4, disclosed:
"At the meeting, we narrowed down the options for the future of the bridge, agreed to look at cheaper ways to repair it, and to get up-to-date figures on the impact on traffic using other roads and bridges (including Chiswick and Kew) in the area. We’ll meet again as soon as this information is assembled."
The statement, much like the task force’s post-meeting reticence, seems pragmatic. The cost of repair are staggering. Reviewing all options, once more, is logical. Yet if "repair" in Slaughter’s account signals a full restoration for vehicular use, then the most economical solution will, once again, be omitted. If this review determines that a feasible repair could be achieved for only, say, £175 million rather than £250 million, would the HBTF then broaden its scope and consider all possibilities? Including one without restoring cars.
If not now, when?
Timing raises further questions. Why now? Pro-driver advocates had hoped the upcoming Spending Review might prompt central government funding for the Bridge’s restoration—despite its absence from key UK infrastructure priority lists, whether from Westminster, the Mayor’s office, or London’s collective borough councils. The Spending Review is expected in June. Unless Hammersmith & Fulham council or Transport for London have quietly developed detailed alternative plans, it seems improbable that any proposal will be sufficiently mature for serious consideration.
The commitment to publishing traffic data and its impact on other roads and bridges is encouraging. Data quality varies widely—unscientific online polls often circulate alongside TfL’s rigorous datasets. Establishing a definitive, publicly accessible dataset would be a significant step forward, ensuring transparency in decision-making and easier comprehension beyond the task force itself.
HBTF support MTS?
One final consideration: surely any proposal must align with the Mayor’s Transport Strategy (MTS). How does reopening Hammersmith Bridge reconcile with Mayor Khan’s long-term vision for London’s transport network in 2041?