Progress statement:
The sixteenth meeting was chaired by Transport Minister, Baroness Vere. Attendees included the Project Director Dana Skelley, along with representatives from the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham (LBHF), the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, the Greater London Authority, Transport for London (TfL) and the Port of London Authority. Dana Skelley, speaking on behalf of the Hammersmith Bridge Taskforce, said:
At the meeting we confirmed the immediate next steps following the latest extraordinary TfL funding deal announced on Tuesday 1 June 2021. As set out in the TfL funding deal, the Department for Transport, TfL and LBHF will now develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in relation to funding the project. The taskforce awaits a decision from LBHF on its preferred engineering solution for stabilisation, what this will cost and how LBHF’s contribution will be funded
The group also discussed the potential protocols which will be implemented if the Case for Continued Safe Operation (CCSO) Board agrees to a limited and controlled reopening of the bridge to pedestrians, cyclists and expanded river transits in July. Engineers plan to meet in the coming days to discuss this in more detail.
The taskforce also heard the latest progress being made by TfL on the Hammersmith ferry service. TfL confirmed its aim for the ferry to be operational by late summer, subject to the appropriate planning and consent processes. This will provide a link across the river, independent of the bridge, that will remain open during any closures for works on the structure. Taskforce members shared the public concern to see the ferry up and running by late summer but noted and agreed the need for all procedures to be followed fully, to ensure public confidence in the ferry’s operation and that all decision-making is in line with the statutory processes.
To see the original post - not published until 4 days after the actual meeting - click here
Note that the following paragraph - which highlights the date the taskforce was set up nearly a year ago and has been the footer of every statement so far - has now been left off...
( The Hammersmith Bridge Taskforce was set up by the Department for Transport in September 2020 to work towards safely reopening the Hammersmith Bridge. The taskforce is chaired by Baroness Vere and includes representatives from TfL, London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, Network Rail, the Greater London Authority and the Port of London Authority. )