Rotherhithe Tunnel and Vauxhall Bridge face closure over funding concerns

By Joe Talora, Local Democracy Reporter

The Rotherhithe Tunnel and Vauxhall Bridge are in need of “urgent” repairs – but TfL has warned they could face closure if funding is not secured to carry out the work.

The London Assembly has warned there is “serious concern” over the potential closure of some of London’s river crossings due to TfL’s current financial dilemma.

The Rotherhithe Tunnel, which a crucial link between south-east London and the north of the river, is in a parlous state and in need of repair.

And Vauxhall Bridge requires waterproofing work to safeguard the future of its structure.

Transport chiefs have threatened to close them if the work is not done.

Earlier this month, the London Assembly transport committee published a report detailing the “bleak” outlook for London’s bridges and tunnels, stressing the need for the Government to work with TfL and London boroughs to oversee the maintenance of the capital’s river crossings.

But with TfL now facing a £1.2 billion funding gap and negotiations underway with the Department for Transport, transport committee chair Caroline Pidgeon has said that London’s river crossings “must stay open to keep our city moving”.

Ms Pidgeon said: “During the recent London Assembly transport committee investigation into the capital’s river crossings, we clearly heard from TfL that some crossings face closure if secure ongoing funding is not available for regular maintenance.

“This is a serious concern going forward, which is why our report urges asset owners and the DfT to come together to ensure long term funding. Thames river crossings are crucial to the resilience of London’s road network and they must stay open to keep our city moving.”

The London Assembly transport committee began its inquiry into Thames river crossings in July following the partial reopening of Hammersmith Bridge, which had been closed to pedestrians and cyclists since August 2020 due to safety concerns.

The closure of the bridge, and the failure to reach a funding agreement for the repairs, was described by Caroline Pidgeon as an “international embarrassment”.

At a meeting of the committee in the summer, TfL’s managing director for surface transport Gareth Powell said that Rotherhithe Tunnel and Vauxhall Bridge had been identified as needing “interventions” to secure their safe operation, totalling up to £170 million.

Mr Powell explained that the systems within the Rotherhithe Tunnel needed an “urgent upgrade”, while Vauxhall Bridge required further waterproofing work.

He said: “Ultimately, we don’t want to do this, but if we don’t think the asset is safe then we’ll need to close it. That’s the ultimate restriction, that’s really inconvenient for everybody who uses that.”

Before closures are considered, TfL may introduce restrictions on London’s river crossings, including tougher speed limits and daily caps on the number of vehicles allowed to use bridges and tunnels.

The London Assembly report found that there is currently a £241 million backlog of maintenance work for Thames crossings, but no central pot of cash from which to fund the work.

Following Gareth Powell’s comments in July, a DfT spokesperson said: “TfL are responsible for the maintenance of its assets, including Rotherhithe Tunnel and Vauxhall Bridge.

“This Government has repeatedly shown its commitment to transport in London throughout the pandemic, including with the most recent extraordinary funding agreement worth £1.08bn.

“These support packages are fair to taxpayers, ensuring action is taken to put TfL on the path to long-term financial sustainability.”