The latest meeting of the Hammersmith Bridge Taskforce was held yesterday (29 April 2021).
It was chaired by Transport Minister, Baroness Vere. Attendees included the Project Director Dana Skelley, plus representatives from the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham (LBHF), the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, the Greater London Authority, Transport for London (TfL) and the Port of London Authority.
Dana Skelley, speaking on behalf of the Hammersmith Bridge Taskforce, said:
At yesterday's Taskforce we were joined by representatives from Fosters & Partners and COWI who provided an update on their proposal for a temporary truss structure. Early indication from the feasibility study suggests that the key benefit associated with the Foster/COWI proposal is the potential for the bridge to be reopened earlier to vehicles. LBHF and Foster/COWI have committed to work with DfT and TfL in developing a business case for this alternative option, so that it can be compared with the current proposal.
I was pleased to update the Taskforce on progress made with the activities required by the CCSO Board before it can reconsider limited and controlled reopening of the bridge.
The Taskforce also heard the latest progress from TfL regarding the ferry service, following the contract award to Uber Boat by Thames Clipper. We expect the ferry to be operational by late summer.
Lastly, we were pleased to note that the current agreement for controlled river transits for vessels meeting certain criteria is working well. The PLA will continue to work closely with LBHF and the CCSO Board to monitor the situation.
The Hammersmith Bridge Taskforce was set up by the Department for Transport in September 2020 to work towards safely reopening the Hammersmith Bridge.
The taskforce is chaired by Baroness Vere and includes representatives from TfL, LBHF, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, Network Rail, the Greater London Authority and the Port of London Authority.
