Wandsworth Bridge to close to road traffic for "essential" maintenance

Wandsworth Bridge will be closed to road traffic from 24 July for "essential" maintenance.

Reports suggest that weight-bearing parts of the bridge need to be replaced to avoid long-term closure.

Wandsworth Council announced that repairs will take roughly ten weeks, mainly during the school summer holidays, when traffic levels are significantly lighter. Pedestrians and cyclists who dismount will still be able to cross the bridge, but temporary changes to bus services will be made. The northbound cycle lane and southbound bus lane are already closed to make initial preparatory works.

Council leader, Simon Hogg, said: "Unfortunately a repair job on this scale to an important river crossing means some degree of disruption is unavoidable, and we are sorry for the inconvenience it will cause, but we have worked hard to keep this to the absolute minimum.”

Once the closure is in place, motorists will be directed to other bridges, as the important river crossing undergoes repair work. However, with Hammersmith Bridge still closed, there looms a possibility of significant pressure on Putney Bridge.