Wandsworth Council is patting itself on the back after nominating its own projects for two national highways awards — and now faces a hefty £4,500-a-table bill to toast the success.
The borough’s colourful lighting makeover of Wandsworth Bridge and its post-pandemic pedestrianisation of Abyssinia Road have both made the finals of the 2025 Highways Awards — a glitzy knees-up that demands every shortlisted entrant coughs up for a champagne-laced dinner to stay in the running.
On offer? A “standard table” for ten, complete with:
- A glass of Prosecco or beer on arrival per guest
- A three-course dinner with coffee and petit fours
- Two bottles of red wine, two of white, and five beers per table
- Still and sparkling water to wash it all down
The council hasn’t said how many tables it plans to book — but with two entries in the running, the bubbly bill could easily hit £9,000.
Boroughs go head-to-head
What’s emerging isn’t just a celebration of streetworks — but a quiet rivalry between London boroughs. Wandsworth’s Wandsworth Bridge project, up for Bridge Project of the Year, is going head-to-head with entries from Richmond and Hammersmith & Fulham.
Richmond’s shortlisted scheme involved repairs to two Grade II-listed bridges, managed with minimal disruption to commuters, boaters and schoolchildren. Hammersmith, meanwhile, is showcasing the stabilisation of its historic bridge using bespoke hydraulic jacks and a STEM education drive.
All three boroughs share more than a river crossing. Richmond and Wandsworth have been jointly managed by the same executive team since 2022 — raising eyebrows as both push their own entries into the national spotlight.
From COVID closure to café street
Wandsworth’s second entry, Abyssinia Road in Battersea, has been shortlisted for Small Project of the Year. First closed to traffic during the pandemic, the street was later transformed into a pedestrian zone with new paving, planting and outdoor dining areas. The council says local feedback shaped the design — though not all residents and traders have welcomed the changes.
Prosecco and prestige
While it’s free to nominate a project, the Highways Awards require all shortlisted entries to attend the lavish 23 September ceremony at the Park Plaza hotel to remain eligible. That means big-city councils who are often under pressure to cut costs elsewhere will need to dig deep to stay in the race.
The awards are run by a construction and transport media group and attract entries from across the UK. Categories range from surfacing and streetlighting to digital innovation and fleet safety.
But with local services squeezed and boroughs jostling for bragging rights, the whole affair is starting to look less like recognition — and more like an arms race in asphalt, lighting and civic spin.
