Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has ruled out using Transport for London (TfL) funds to help pay for the repair of Albert Bridge, stating that TfL is not sufficiently funded to take on the financial burden of an asset it does not own. The West London crossing was forced to close to motorists in February after engineers discovered a significant crack in a cast iron component. Although the bridge was deemed safe for pedestrians and cyclists and reopened in April, an estimated £8.5 million in repairs is needed before motorists can use it again.
Pressure on the Mayor
Khan is facing pressure from London Assembly members to share the repair costs with Kensington and Chelsea Council, which is currently funding the repairs without outside help. Responding to a question from Liberal Democrat Assembly Member Hina Bokhari at City Hall, Khan said: "The responsibility for renewing and funding upgrades to Albert Bridge sits with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea as the bridge owner. Transport for London and I will continue to support the borough as far as possible."
Khan noted that signal changes on TfL-owned roads at both approaches to the bridge have helped ease congestion, improve traffic flow, and redistribute vehicles to Battersea and Chelsea bridges.
Hammersmith Bridge saga
Separately, Khan is facing calls from Wandsworth Council to take control of Hammersmith Bridge, which has been closed to all motorists since 2019. A full restoration of the Victorian crossing is estimated to cost £300 million, leading Hammersmith and Fulham Council to shelve plans for cars and instead pursue a scaled-back £128 million phased repair that would keep the bridge safe for walkers and cyclists.
New Wandsworth Council leader Robert Morritt described Hammersmith Bridge as a strategic London issue requiring clear mayoral leadership. "This is a moment for leadership, not managed decline," he said. "After seven years of disruption, the time has come to transfer responsibility for Hammersmith Bridge to the Mayor of London, with the powers and funding needed to get this strategic crossing properly restored. Residents in Putney, Roehampton and across Wandsworth cannot be left with a half-baked plan that keeps Hammersmith Bridge permanently out of reach for buses, emergency vehicles and ordinary traffic."
