Issue - meetings

Councillor Wesley Harcourt stated that this report requested funding to continue the full stabilisation, strengthening and restoration of Hammersmith Bridge. This would allow the Council to look at the feasibility design of Fosters/COWI proposal and to look at any risks involved, as well as other investigations.

The Leader added that Hammersmith Bridge had caused many issues over the years and had to be closed in 2020. It was partially reopened in 2021 to pedestrians, cyclists and river traffic while being closely monitored. Following numerous investigations the main problems had been detected and a Government Task Group had been set up, where it was recommended that the Council should pay a third of the restoration works. This was unprecedent given that normally TfL would pay for the majority of the works on bridges in London. Therefore, the Council was seeking to develop a toll or road charging scheme to finance the Council’s contribution to the project, which would also help with the future. maintenance of the bridge.The new works proposed by this report would allow the Council to move to the next stage and fully reopen the bridge once all works were completed.

AGREED UNANIMOUSLY BY THE CABINET MEMBERS PRESENT:

1.         To approve a new capital budget of up to £3.5m in 2022/23 to progress concept design and associated works leading to the strengthening and restoration works to be initially funded by Council borrowing (increase to the Capital Financing Requirement).

2.         To approve the procurement approach set out in paragraph 4 given the specialist nature of the works.

3.         To approve the appointment of the preferred technical experts to complete the work for the amounts set out in paragraph 4, subject to a client held contingency being used where required.