Ferry across the Thames for pedestrians and cyclists to start in new year

Hammersmith Bridge in London has been closed since August, requiring a diversion of at least 4km

Cross purpose: Hammersmith Bridge in west London (Simon Calder)

A ferry across the River Thames in west London will start running in the new year, providing a link for pedestrian and cyclists while a key Victorian-era bridge is repaired.

Hammersmith Bridge, which opened in 1887, closed in April last year to motor traffic because of serious cracks in the pedestals. It then closed to walkers and cyclists in August 2020. There is no indication at present of when it might reopen.

The nearest bridge downstream, Putney, is 2km away, while Chiswick Bridge is 3km upstream – though pedestrians can also use Barnes railway bridge, 2km upstream. The minimum diversion at present is 4km.

Previously it was a key route for London buses as well as commuter traffic.

The Department for Transport (DfT) says that the £1.7bn bailout provided to Transport for London (TfL) last weekend included two requirement for the chain link suspension bridge: that TfL commences work on a temporary ferry service and establishes how Hammersmith Bridge could be brought back into use.

It said: “Procurement will start this week and a service active in the new year.”

The transport secretary, Grant Shapps, said: “For too long residents have suffered as those responsible have failed to deal with this issue.

“Following our funding deal with TfL, alongside the excellent work of our Hammersmith Bridge Taskforce, this first step is becoming a reality.

The taskforce is chaired by the transport minister Baroness Vere, who said: “The taskforce quickly identified a ferry service as the most rapid solution available in the short-term and that’s why we made it part of the TfL deal.”

David Rowe, TfL’s head of major projects sponsorship, said: “We know that closure of the Hammersmith Bridge has caused upheaval in the lives of residents and disconnected communities.

“We have been working hard to reduce the impact of the closure by enhancing local bus services but it’s been clear that a crossing in this area is essential, which is why we developed plans for a ferry over the summer. 

”Now that TfL has a funding agreement until next March, we are doing everything possible to ensure a ferry is available to get people across the river as soon as possible.”

A spokeperson for the local council, Hammersmith & Fulham, said: "H&F welcomes the ferry service and looks forward to making progress on its plans for a long-term solution for the bridge with the taskforce."

There are two existing ferries dedicated to crossing the Thames in London, as opposed to sailing along the river: Woolwich in east London and Hammerton's, a family-run service, between Richmond and Twickenham.

Celia Holman, a trustee of Twickenham Riverside Trust, said: “Ferries have underpinned the infrastructure of this part of the river for centuries, and hopefully for centuries to come.”