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TfL chief refuses to rule out £3 toll for motorists on Hammersmith Bridge
11 August 2021, 10:55
Will there be a toll on Hammersmith bridge?
A toll for motorists on Hammersmith Bridge could be introduced, Transport for London (TfL) commissioner Andy Byford has said.
Mr Byford told LBC's Nick Ferrari that the money made would be reinvested into ongoing maintenance for the bridge.
When asked whether a £3 toll was on the cards, as had been previously reported, Mr Byford said: "That may be necessary. Job one, though, is to get the thing fixed.
"I'm very pleased to see that we've now reopened it - well the boroughs have reopened it - for pedestrians and cyclists."
He added: "A toll is a possibility in order to fund the ongoing maintenance of what is, after all, a very old structure.
"But that's yet to be determined - job one is to get it reopened."
Read more: Hammersmith Bridge to reopen to pedestrians and cyclists
Nick drew attention to bridges in New York - where the chief previously worked - saying many were tolled, generating a lot of money.
"I think we should always look at revenue options," said Mr Byford.
"At the end of the day, you can't put everything onto the fare payer.
"Travellers on TfL fund TfL to the tune of 72 per cent. That's unheard of. The norm is around 40 to 50 per cent.
"We need to find new revenue sources, but all of that needs to be looked at properly.
"We need to do the economics and we need to work out the maths."
Read more: London's Tower Bridge reopens after technical failure fixed
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It comes after the bridge was closed to traffic in April 2019 due to micro-fractures being found in the pedestals.
The closure was then extended to pedestrians and cyclists in August 2020, after the fractures grew bigger.
It recently reopened to pedestrians and cyclists, having been under a series of investigations for safety.
Sensors have since been installed as well, to allow for constant monitoring of the 134-year-old structure.
