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Hammersmith Bridge

21 April 2026

Lead MP

Fleur Anderson
Putney
Lab

Responding Minister

Simon Lightwood

Tags

Transport
Word Count: 8927
Other Contributors: 7

At a Glance

Fleur Anderson raised concerns about hammersmith bridge in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key Requests to Government:

The Minister must provide concrete actions taken since t [1D [K the last taskforce meeting in January 2025. The Foster and Partners and COW [3D [K COWI option should be assessed with a current cost estimate of fully restor [6D [K restoring Hammersmith bridge. A decision on transferring responsibility for [3D [K for all bridges to one London body needs assessment, and an application und [3D [K under the structures fund must be made.

How the Debate Unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:

Lead Contributor

Putney
Opened the debate
It is a national disgrace that Hammersmith bridge ha [2D [K has been closed for seven years. The closure affects around 22,000 vehicles [8D [K vehicles daily and leads to severe congestion in Putney with an increase of [2D [K of 16% in motor vehicle numbers between 2020 and 2023. Bus services have al [2D [K also been affected, leading to increased delays and overcrowding. Residents [9D [K Residents, especially those in Roehampton, face longer journeys and unrelia [7D [K unreliability; for example, a resident's son missed critical medical appoin [6D [K appointments due to the closure.

Government Response

Simon Lightwood
Government Response
It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Si [2D [K Sir Alec. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Putney on securing t [1D [K the debate. My Department has provided £17 million in total funding for Ham [3D [K Hammersmith bridge repairs and has created a structures fund with a £1 bill [4D [K billion package to repair critical road infrastructure across England. Hamm [4D [K Hammersmith bridge is considered a good candidate for investment from this [K fund, subject to eligibility criteria and cost-effective engineering soluti [6D [K solutions. Future taskforce meetings will focus on significant project issu [4D [K issues once funding awards are made.
Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy

About Westminster Hall Debates

Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.