Urgent repair work to Hammersmith Bridge begins on January 13, meaning that it will be partially closed on weekdays until the end of February.
The southbound lane over the bridge (A306) will be closed between 7am and 3pm every Monday to Friday from January 13 to February 28, to allow essential repairs to the 126-year-old bridge’s wooden decking panels.
The work must be done to make sure that the road is safe for motorists and cyclists. After years of wear and tear, the current timber panels on the bridge need to be repaired or replaced, and then resurfaced. The worn wooden decking means that steel panels on the road, which provide an anti-skid surface, are failing to work properly.
There are also several pot holes in the road which have been patched up temporarily and this work will allow the defects to be properly and permanently repaired.
Cllr Victoria Brocklebank-Fowler, Hammersmith & Fulham Council’s cabinet member for transport and technical services, said: “These works are simply unavoidable and must be done now, to make sure the road surface holds up for the next decade. Of course, if there was any way we could keep the road open then we would.
“We are doing everything we can to keep disruption to residents to a minimum and we apologise for any temporary disruption this may cause.”
To minimise disruption and avoid clashing with Transport for London’s night-time closures of Hammersmith Flyover, the works have been planned for when southbound traffic flow is low and traffic heading north is at its peak.
However, access will be maintained in both directions over the bridge for buses, emergency vehicles and pedestrians. Cyclists will have to dismount and walk their bikes across the bridge. There will be access for local residents on either side of the bridge.
There will also be three full weekend closures, which are currently proposed for January 25-26, February 1-2 and February 8-9, from 8am on Saturday to 5am on Monday.
The diversions will be via Fulham Palace Road and Putney Bridge for southbound traffic and northbound traffic will be diverted to Chiswick Bridge during the weekend closures. Advance warning signs will be in place on both sides of the river this week and diversion signs will be up from January 13.
For more information on the works, contact Anvar Alizadeh or Michael Masella on 020 8753 3033 or 020 8753 3082. Alternatively the highways duty officer is available outside of office hours on 020 8748 8588.