Daniel Jacobs GLA Question... | HammersmithBridgeSOS

HBSOS Questionnaire To London Mayoral Candidates re Hammersmith Bridge

Answers in red

This response is from Daniel Mark jacobs (Londependence London-wide Assembly candidate)

1. Do you support the full repair of Hammersmith Bridge to allow it to take vehicular traffic again?

a) All traffic, including buses YES NO

b) Traffic limited by weight YES NO

2. If the answer to Q1 was yes, how do you believe this should be funded?

a) By Central Government YES NO

b) By TFL, by Local Government or YES NO

c) By a combination YES NO

If you said yes to c) above, please specify those who should pay and the percentage each should contribute

London road users pay huge sums in car tax and fuel taxes. This money is spent almost exclusively outside of London. This is not levelling up. It is not even levelling down. It is daylight robbery. Hammersmith Bridge is a major conduit for our great city. Its loss is a social and economic catastrophe. Central Government should immediately pay some money back to London and get this bridge repaired. It is not fair to lumber a single cash-strapped London borough with the maintenance costs for the bridge. The bridge was formerly owned and maintained by the GLC. When the Tories abolished the GLC in 1986, responsibility for maintaining the bridge was placed on the borough of Hammersmith, and of course as local government funding was cut and cut, that became harder and harder for them, leading to the problems we have today. Assorted bomb attacks by Irish Republican paramilitaries didn't help matters. There's a very brief summary of the bridge's history on our website blog in fact, at https://www.londependence.party/hammersmith It is ridiculous that a single borough is responsible for a bridge that serves the entire population another example of central government shirking the responsibility whilst happily taking London's money.

a) Do you support a toll charge to raise necessary capital to repair the bridge? YES NO

If yes, who should pay?

b) Should there be a price cap? YES NO

If yes, what should the price cap be?

Should there be any exemptions?

The idea of a toll is a ridiculous and penny-pinching proposition that will slow down traffic and inconvenience Londoners. London subsidises the rest of the UK. The current Government should step back from exploiting Londoners and pay back some of the money it takes from London to get this Bridge repaired ASAP.

4. Do you believe that work to stabilise the bridge should start immediately, even before agreement on the funding for the total repair, so that it can be re-opened as soon as possible to pedestrians? YES NO

5. A number of short-term measures to alleviate community hardship have been suggested.

Which of the following do you support?

a) A ferry YES NO

b) A temporary foot bridge YES NO

c) A temporary road bridge YES NO

6. If you support a ferry

a) What would you see as the acceptable ticket price?

b) Should there be any exemptions?

c) Should the ferry operate the same hours as the underground?

For 5 & 6 - providing a temporary crossing should be an urgent priority.

Whatever can be provided quickest should be implemented.

7. If you are elected

a) What would be your first action in relation to the Bridge?

Get a temporary crossing in place immediately

b) What would be your overall plan for the bridge?

Rebuild this bridge for all traffic asap. It should be noted that an autonomous London would never be so careless as to neglect the maintenance of the Thames bridges. They are vital to the smooth running of our great city.

8. Would you be willing to come to the Bridge and be photographed for our website to demonstrate your commitment to finding a solution? YES NO

We are not standing for Mayor. But our 4 candidates for the London Assembly would be delighted to do anything to support the campaign to get this Bridge restored as a matter of national (London) priority