Transport officials watched helplessly as a scaffolding lorry blocked Putney Bridge Road for five minutes during a walkabout – a preview of two years of disruption ahead.
The delivery truck, attempting to reverse into the narrow entrance leading to the hotel development site on the corner of Putney High Street, brought traffic to a complete standstill in both directions. Council transport officer as well as council leader Simon Hogg, transport cabinet member Cllr Jenny Yates, and senior TfL staff could only watch as cars, buses, cyclists and pedestrians waited for the manoeuvre to complete.
The group eventually gave up waiting and crossed the main road to continue their walkabout of Putney Bridge junction – their expressions suggesting they knew exactly what this meant for the junction’s future.
The incident illustrated a problem that will recur throughout the two-year demolition and construction project. Developers had originally applied to use Putney Bridge Road itself for construction vehicle loading, but this was rejected due to concerns about adding to the already severe congestion at Putney’s worst junction. The alternative – threading large lorries through a gap barely wider than the vehicles themselves – is what officials witnessed on Monday.
The entrance leads to a rear car park that will eventually become a restored public courtyard. For now, it’s the only route for construction traffic, and the tight turning angle means lorries must swing across the entire road to line up correctly.
Putney Bridge Road already suffers from lengthy queues caused by the extended bus lane and signal timing issues that have plagued the junction redesign. Adding regular construction traffic to the mix will test residents’ patience further.
Development progressing on schedule
The disruption comes with a silver lining: the hotel project is finally moving forward after years of delay.
Scaffolding now completely encases the derelict buildings on the corner, with protective fabric sheeting completed this week. Wooden boarding shields the pavement, and protective covers prevent debris falling into the street. Before the final sheeting went up, workers with pneumatic drills could be seen dismantling the interiors.
Multiple crews are working on the site simultaneously, suggesting the project remains on schedule. The buildings – which housed the former Ramna restaurant, Gadget Xchange, and Preto Brazilian steakhouse – had become an eyesore and squatter magnet before demolition finally began last month.
The Hub by Premier Inn hotel will rise seven to ten storeys with approximately 200 rooms and three retail units at street level. Construction proper begins in March 2026, with completion expected in 2028.
The project, first proposed in 2017 and approved in 2021, sat dormant for years while the corner deteriorated. Now that work has started, residents face a familiar trade-off: short-term pain for long-term gain.
Monday’s walkabout gave officials an unscheduled demonstration of exactly what that short-term pain will look like.
