A Positive Step for Hammersmith Bridge Reopening

Report back from Andy Slaughter, MP for Hammersmith and Chiswick

Andy Slaughter MP

February 27, 2026

The Department for Transport announced on Friday that Hammersmith Bridge ‘would be a good candidate for investment’ from the Structures fund – an earmarked pot of money to repair ‘run down bridges, decaying flyovers and worn-out tunnels across the country’. 

The proposal in a letter from roads minister Simon Lightwood sets out a number of assessments needed before a decision on funding can be made, following which the Bridge Taskforce will meet to decide on a way forward.

This is a positive step as, until this point, no funding stream had been identified and central government had made only limited contribution to strengthening works.  Hammersmith & Fulham council has thus far borne the burden of considerable cost needed just to keep the Bridge safe and prevent further deterioration.  I will press the department on timescales, but at least after six years there is an acknowledgement that the Bridge is a strategic structure which is able to call on national funding in the first instance.

Elsewhere this has been a busy week back in Parliament after a short recess.  The Justice Committee held two lengthy sessions as part of our inquiry into access to justice, identifying sources of funds as well as areas of law where legal aid and advice is not available.  The Courts and Tribunal Bill was published, including the controversial proposals on reform of jury trails.  The government is keen to speed this through to try and address the huge backlog of crown court cases, but it still needs proper scrutiny.  I have arranged two Committee sessions to question witnesses on the Bill in addition to the main debate on its proposals in the Commons on 10 March. As well as the changes to the jury system there is some very welcome additional funding for our understaffed and crumbling courts and long overdue plans to make them run more efficiently.

Latymer Upper School sent their politics students to Parliament for a day to understand how the place works. They enjoyed a tour of the Palace of Westminster and later met with me for a Q&A.

Any local school is welcome to book a tour and talk, and this is easily done through the Education Centre.  I also visited LAMDA in Hammersmith. LAMDA is not only a world-renowned centre for music and drama but, through LAMDA Exams, works with schools across the UK and internationally to develop confidence, clarity of speech and critical thinking in young people.  We are lucky to have them in West London.

I also spent a day on the stump in Gorton and Denton. Well, you can’t win them all.

Good news locally – Chiswick Station railway bridge has now been reopened. The bridge has been closed for over 6 months for essential repair work, but I know that this has inconvenienced residents who use the line regularly to travel into central London. I’m pleased that the bridge is now operational again and will make commutes easier for those in Chiswick.

Best wishes,

Andy

andy@andyslaughter.com

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