West Ham Fans’ Boat Crash Hits Hammersmith Bridge with £100k Repair Bill
A costly collision has left West London’s Hammersmith Bridge facing another headache. Last December, the MV Emerald of London, ferrying West Ham fans along the River Thames to Fulham’s Craven Cottage, smashed into the Grade II* listed bridge, severing a crucial gantry.
£100,000 Repairs Add to Millions Already Spent
Hammersmith and Fulham Council, responsible for the bridge’s upkeep, has revealed the repair bill for the damaged gantry could reach £100,000. This comes on top of millions already spent on the bridge since microfractures were discovered in 2019.
The council insists it must cover the costs now to keep restoration work moving. But it plans to chase compensation from the boat company that caused the crash.
Bridge Closure Worsens Long-Running Crisis
The incident piles on pressure for Hammersmith Bridge, shut to motor vehicles since 2019 due to serious structural faults. Partial reopening for pedestrians and cyclists in 2021 has done little to end the limbo. Funding disputes between the council, Transport for London (TfL), and the Government continue to stall full restoration.
Council Calls for Funding to Reopen Bridge Fully
Cllr Sharon Holder, Cabinet Member for the Public Realm, stressed the council’s determination to reopen the bridge to motor traffic, including buses. But she warned: “We need financial backing from TfL and the Department for Transport, plus clarity on funding tools such as tolls.”
The council’s business case submitted last April awaits approval as officials review its value for taxpayers. TfL has pledged support to push the project forward.
Attempts to get a comment from 1 Party Boats, owner of the MV Emerald of London, have so far failed.
