Albert Bridge closure causing gridlock, locals say

More than 1,100 people have signed an open letter calling for Albert Bridge to be fixed and reopened as soon as possible, saying the closure has left nearby roads gridlocked.

The west London crossing has been shut to traffic since February, after a crack was found in a cast iron component at one of its abutments. It reopened to pedestrians and cyclists in April.

Kensington and Chelsea Council, which owns the bridge, has said it could stay closed to vehicles until 2027 while repairs costing up to £8.5m are carried out.

Residents in Chelsea and Battersea say journeys that once took minutes now take 40-50% longer and buses have become unreliable.

The letter, sent to Kensington and Chelsea and Wandsworth councils, the mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL), said the closure was "no longer an inconvenience" but "a significant quality-of-life issue".

It urged the authorities to work together "with urgency, transparency and accountability" to limit the disruption while repairs take place.

Kensington and Chelsea Council said it had bid for part-funding from TfL and the Department for Transport (DfT).

However, Lord Khan has said the bill falls to the council. Speaking at City Hall, the mayor said responsibility for "renewing and funding upgrades" lay with the borough as the bridge's owner, adding that he and TfL would "continue to support the borough as far as possible".

Josh Rendall, the council's lead member for transport, said major repairs would "inevitably cause disruption".

"We are dealing with a bridge that is over 150 years old, predates motor vehicles and was opened when Queen Victoria was on the throne," he said. "A repair like this cannot be hurried."

He added that he was "regularly pressing" TfL to review traffic signals and arrangements.

Wandsworth Council, TfL and the mayor's office did not respond to the Local Democracy Reporting Service's request for comment on the letter.

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