Hammersmith and Fulham Council has applied to England’s £1 billion Structures Fund for phased repairs to Hammersmith Bridge, while any bid to strengthen it for motor traffic requires a separate council approval.
Cars have been excluded since April 10, 2019, after a safety review found microfractures affecting four cast-iron pedestals. People walking or cycling can still cross, as can river traffic. The Department for Transport (DfT) says the borough owns the bridge and has a legal duty to maintain it.
The council’s July 6 decision focuses on preserving current access. Before it seeks funding for work that would let motor vehicles use the bridge, the council must obtain another Cabinet approval and assess transport needs using objective evidence, including traffic-flow information.
Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill told Parliament on Sept. 29 that the council had applied to the Structures Fund. The DfT says the £1 billion program is open to local highway authorities across England and Transport for London. Awards are expected in autumn 2026. Funded schemes must be completed and open to traffic by March 31, 2030. Under the rules, the department sets each grant amount, and the local highway authority must cover later cost increases.
A council record from July 15 put the cost of fully repairing the bridge at about £300 million. The July 6 Cabinet decision also set an annual revenue budget of £1.5 million from 2026/27 for safety checks, inspections and upkeep. The council says it is still discussing with the DfT and Transport for London contributions those bodies had been expected to make toward stabilization and related costs.
Guardian columnist Simon Jenkins argued Friday, Oct. 23, that City Bridge Foundation could help pay for a replacement. The foundation’s 2024/25 annual report put its investment portfolio above £1.5 billion. It lists maintaining five other Thames bridges as its main purpose and says surplus income after those commitments may support other charitable work in Greater London. The report records no commitment to Hammersmith Bridge.
The DfT’s autumn 2026 grant announcement is the next funding milestone for the council’s application.
