Below is an interesting report from the Hammersmith Society on the present situation regarding the Bridge. "Hammersmith Bridge was closed without prior warning to vehicles in mid April for the foreseeable future due to serious structural issues. It looks as if the longstanding problems that have been known about for some four years have come to ahead. It is clearly time to start the long-planned, in depth repair programme which has been so long delayed so it can get back to being a full working bridge. It had been undergoing a thorough health check with the oversight of consultant engineers Mott McDonald preparatory to repair and restoration. Details 3-D surveys had mapped stresses, weaknesses, materials used (whether iron, steel, wrought-iron – all 3 in various locations and original construction details). TfL is now in possession of the information it needs to decide on the scope of works relative to the desired goals eg whether to do works which would permit double decker buses or to aim, more affordably, for use by single-decker buses as has been the case for the last twenty years or so. The work would have meant complete closure anyway, perhaps for as long as 18 months.TfL’s budgetary problems have not helped, the claim being that government budget cuts mean that TfL can no longer contribute to the planned refurbishment. With the shock unplanned closure we can but wonder whether TfL’s cycling largesses, not least the £70m earmarked for the problematic CS9 bus lane scheme from Olympia through Chiswick and to Brentford may have come at the cost of helping important basic infrastructure maintenance.For the full repair programme, work was planned to be done with conservation principles in close discussion with Historic England – intervention must avoid destroying historic evidence. However, it needs to be a working bridge so timber decking may have to replaced with aluminium or steel. Much of the work would require custom-made components.The proposal is for the bridge to be re-lit, albeit restricted to the line of the bridge handrail, with up- and down- on the bridge towers. Lights on the bridge chains are too expensive. The Hammersmith Society met Historic England in January and put on record concerns that the silhouette of the bridge towers have now been lost against the buildings which have gone up behind them, especially Queens Wharf. HE promised to consider the Hammersmith Society suggestion in consideration of the December 1893 repainting which referred to ‘salient parts picked out in light green and recessed parts in dark green’ which could bring the bridge into stronger relief. The early paint treatments also referred to picking out the details in ‘finest welsh gold’ – sadly an unlikely prospect now!"
Caroline Whitehead ● 2756d