Hammersmith Bridge is the oldest suspension bridge in London, built in 1887. It is also the most trouble-prone. It was bombed by the IRA in 1939 and 1996, closed for emergency repairs in 2019 when cracks were found in the cast-iron pedestals, and has remained largely closed to vehicles ever since.
The Closure Crisis
The 2019 closure devastated local transport in west London. Hammersmith Bridge is used by 22,000 vehicles a day, and its closure forced commuters to travel miles out of their way. Pedestrians and cyclists can currently cross, but the road remains closed.
The Boat Race Connection
Hammersmith Bridge is the most famous spectating point for the Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race, which has been rowed on this stretch of the Thames since 1845. Tens of thousands gather on the bridge and along the riverbank to watch the annual contest between the two universities.
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