A new £6 million plan to stabilise Hammersmith Bridge has been announced, which should see works completed in under a year. 

Specialist engineers Mott MacDonald devised the alternative stabilisation plan which should bring savings of £24m. 

As well as saving money and reducing the works programme to 46 weeks, the new plan – which has been favourably reviewed by Heritage England – is expected to reduce the need for temporary closures.  

Engineers believe it will also avoid the need to divert the gas mains on the bridge for the stabilisation work. 

The proposal was presented to engineers and officials from the Department for Transport (DfT) and Transport for London (TfL) at a meeting with Dr Steve Denton and Hammersmith & Fulham Council’s engineers held on 9 August 2021. 

The bridge was reopened to pedestrians, cyclists and river traffic on 17 July. Safety experts have stated that the use of the temperature control system, which enabled the reopening, can only be temporary. 

In order to move at speed to begin the full stabilisation works, H&F Leader Cllr Stephen Cowan has agreed and signed an Urgency Report. 

Cllr Cowan said: “We don’t want to lose a single day in delivering the full stabilisation of the bridge to ensure residents on both sides of the river no longer have to deal with closures or the threat of closures. 

“Whilst putting the safety of the public first, we believe that the importance of maintaining pace and progress, the real savings achieved by the deployment of the preferred stabilisation works option and the current vulnerability of Hammersmith Bridge demands rapid action.” 

H&F expects to keep the bridge open to pedestrians and cyclists for the vast majority of the duration of the works, but there may be short programmed periods of closure to allow some works to take place safely. Advance warning of any closures to minimise disruption will be given.