The impact of the Hammersmith Bridge closure is to have much greater repercussions than just the local traffic. Since August 2020 the Port of London has prevented boats from passing under the bridge except for the emergency services, such is the danger presented by the damage to the historic structure.
One of the major impacts has been on the boatbuilders further upstream in Twickenham and Isleworth who have been unable to deliver boats downstream of Hammersmith Bridge. Nor have they been able to take in boats from anywhere apart from the upstream end of the river. Add this to a COVID induced economic disaster and times are hard for many businesses situated on the Thames.
The proposed development of the Stag Brewery may be another casualty of the Bridge closure. As a result of the Council and the community raising concerns about the impact of the ongoing closure of Hammersmith Bridge on the proposed Stag Brewery development – the Mayor of London has delayed his Planning hearing to further consider local transport issues and to do further assessment and consultation on the latest proposals and mitigation.
The world-famous boat race will not be raced on the Thames in 2021. The Boat Race Company Limited (BRCL) today announced that The Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge will be held on the Great Ouse at Ely in April 2021. The event will see the 166th Men’s and the 75th Women’s boat races.
The decision to relocate the 2021 event reflects the challenge of planning a high-profile amateur event around continuing COVID related restrictions as well as uncertainty regarding the safety and navigation of Hammersmith Bridge. Following consultation with long-term partners in London, East Cambridge District Council, and the Environment Agency, we are delighted to have strong local support, enabling us to hold the world-famous races in Ely.
The race has been held on the Thames for 175 years and has been cancelled or moved only a few times. The passage from the Upper Thames has only been closed once before when the Thames froze over in 1814.
The green iron bridge was opened in 1887, a legacy from the famous Victorian engineer Sir Joseph Bazalgette.
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