Commuter chaos as footway closure causes 30-minute pedestrian traffic jam on Hammersmith Bridge

11 February 2025, 14:32 | Updated: 11 February 2025, 14:42

Pedestrians were faced with 30-minute queues as they crossed Hammersmith Bridge on Tuesday morning.

The delays were caused by the closure of one of the two footways going across the 138-year-old bridge, which links Hammersmith with Barnes in south-west London.

Hammersmith and Fulham council, which owns the bridge, confirmed the footway was closed following a leak in a gas pipe.

It comes after a Labour MP's warning that the bridge could stay closed to vehicles for another decade, following its closure in 2019 when cracks appeared in its pedestals.

It has remained open to pedestrians and cyclists if they walk their bikes across the river but commuters reportedly faced half an hour queues to make the crossing towards Hammersmith on Tuesday morning.

Users on social media shared images of pedestrians and cyclists being held up on the bridge as they expressed their frustration at the congestion.

Kieren McCarthy posted a video on X showing people queuing to cross the bridge at 8.30am.

He wrote: “We’ve reached the point where we now have pedestrian traffic jams to go with the car traffic jams in Putney. Just not good enough.”

Liberal Democrat Councillor for Richmond Marjory Millum said: "(The) closure by Hammersmith and Fulham Council of one footway on Hammersmith Bridge this AM is creating concerning congestion."

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Hammersmith and Fulham council said in a statement: “Please be aware that due to a leak in a Cadent Gas pipe running below Hammersmith Bridge, we have been forced to close one footway.

“At peak times there may be a delay in crossing on the other footway. We apologise for the inconvenience. Cadent Gas workers are on site working to repair the problem.”

A council spokesman said at midday that the council as awaiting an update from Cadent on when the other footway could be reopened.

It comes following Putney MP Fleur Anderson's warning that the bridge could stay closed to vehicles for another decade following it's closure in 2019.

She said it was not realistic to expect the bridge to be reopened by the end of the current Parliament as "even if they started [now] it would be 10 years of building".

She claimed that due to the failure of the Conservative government to "get on with" repairing the bridge in the five years since its closure, it may take until 2035 for it to fully reopen.