Tory and Labour councillors spar over £300m Hammersmith Bridge plans

Disagreements have intensified between Labour and Tory councillors from neighbouring councils over plans to restore Hammersmith Bridge, a £300m project that has been closed to motorists for seven years. The Labour and Tory authorities in Hammersmith & Fulham and Wandsworth Councils have clashed over an application to a £1bn government fund for infrastructure.

The delay in repairing the bridge has caused frustration among commuters and sparked protests, leading to increased traffic on the south side of the river. However, the ongoing conflict between the councils has drawn the attention of politicians from across London, who have accused the local authorities of "kicking the can down the road."

Labour councillors in Hammersmith & Fulham have written to councillors in neighbouring authorities requesting "stakeholder support" to get funding for the bridge approved. The council had submitted a £128m bid to the Department for Transport to keep the bridge open to pedestrians and cyclists. Tory councillors, however, criticized the bid, stating that it "falls short of our expectations" and that the decision not to include a proposal for full motor access after repairs was "bewildering."

Wandsworth Council leader Robert Morritt accused the Hammersmith Bridge Taskforce of lacking meaningful engagement with senior officers and failing to meet for over a year. The dispute over the bridge's future has also involved Westminster Council member Festus Akinbusoye, who called on Prime Minister Andy Burnham's government to prioritize the bridge's repair to demonstrate a commitment to "place-based growth."