Chiswick Bridge Work To Be Complete By Boat Race Day

Restoration enters final stage with some weekend closures this month

Chiswick Bridge is to be completely closed for three weekends - starting this weekend February 21-23 - major traffic disruption is expected in the area as a result.

The bridge will be closed to replace expansion joints buried in the carriageway and fully resurface the structure. The final stage of the works on the bridge have now started, with completion due in April.

Drivers are strongly advised to plan alternative routes to avoid delays across these weekends. Live travel updates for Chiswick are available.

The closures are planned to take place from Saturday morning at 01.00 until Monday morning at 04.00 on the following dates:

• Saturday 21 February until Monday 23 February 2015;
• Saturday 28 February until Monday 2 March 2015;
• Saturday 7 March until Monday 9 March 2015.

During this work, pedestrians and cyclists will still be able to cross the river by one of the footpaths, but a signed diversion route will be in place for road traffic. The route 190 bus, which runs between Richmond Bus Station and West Brompton Station, will also be diverted over Kew Bridge.

Following the weekend closures, TfL says it is on track to have the work to strengthen and refurbish the 80-year old structure completed and all footpaths re-opened in time for the BNY Mellon Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race on Saturday April 11th, 2015. The entire project is to be delivered by May 2015.

Nick Fairholme, TfL’s Director of Projects & Programmes for Surface Transport, said: “Chiswick Bridge is a much loved heritage structure in west London, providing a vital river crossing as well as an excellent viewing point for the annual Boat Race. The important refurbishment work we are carrying out is progressing extremely well - however, there are some aspects that, unfortunately, just cannot be completed without full weekend closures. We are committed to keeping the disruption caused by these closures to a minimum.”

Stephen Senior, English Heritage Assistant Inspector of Historic Buildings and Areas for London said: “Although the scale of the works has been extensive, we have been heartened by the conservation minded approach taken by TfL and all their contractors, enabling them to deliver a refurbished structure which retains all of the historic characteristics for which it was originally listed.”

February 10, 2015