Wandsworth Council’s own inspection records show that Putney Bridge has a structural problem. The critical load-bearing elements of the last unrestricted Thames crossing in southwest London are below the level at which national guidance says work must be done.
The council has known this since December 2023.
| Bridge | BCI Critical | SoGR | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| National threshold — intervention required below this line | |||
|
Putney Bridge
Wandsworth Council
Last inspection: Dec 2023
|
28
12 below threshold
|
62.7
2.3 below threshold
|
Below |
|
Wandsworth Bridge
Wandsworth Council
Last inspection: Oct 2015
|
50
2015 data — pre-refurbishment
|
68.8
2015 data
|
Outdated |
|
Albert Bridge
RBKC — worst ever score
July 2014
|
39
just below threshold
|
72.5
above threshold
|
Borderline |
|
Albert Bridge
RBKC — after 12 years’ maintenance
May 2025
|
79
well above threshold
|
84.7
above threshold
|
Above |
What the council’s own figures show
The council’s inspection rated Putney Bridge’s critical structural elements at 28 out of 100. The national threshold is 40. Below that, the inspection manual says intervention is needed. Putney Bridge is 12 points below it.
A second measure, which combines the overall condition score with the critical score, came out at 62.7. The national standard is 65. Below that too.
Andrew Burton, a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, said a score like that will be ringing alarm bells. Intervention is needed, he said. The council cannot afford to delay. Regulation sets out what highway authorities are required to do.
“Bridges over the Thames are essential infrastructure for London. As many are Victorian, they require timely and specialist engineering inspection and proactive maintenance to ensure that they can be adapted for changing use. When there are questions about their state of repair or other factors, it’s right that residents and other bridge users should expect the local authority to respond transparently.”
Andrew Burton, a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers
What the council’s inspection found
The council’s December 2023 inspection found metal tie bars fitted to strengthen the bridge are corroding. In the worst areas, nearly a third of their material is gone. Cracks 2 to 5mm wide have opened where the central piers meet the arch structure above. Water is getting through the road surface into the fabric of the bridge, and has been for some time. It is driving the corrosion and the cracking.
Putney.news visited the bridge and found cracked and partially detached brickwork on the approach retaining walls on the Fulham side, at two separate locations, and a transverse crack on one of the river arches on the Putney side.
No budget. No plan. Nothing since 2021.
The council’s own records are clear on three things.
On maintenance budget: “There is no annual maintenance budget allocated to Putney Bridge for each financial year.”
On planning: “There is no maintenance plan.”
On what has actually been done: nothing since January 2021. More than four years ago.
No assessment has been carried out of what the extra traffic from the Hammersmith Bridge closure has meant for Putney Bridge’s structure. The government has its own assessment of how that traffic redistributed across southwest London. It has refused to publish it.
The council has applied to the government’s Structures Fund, which opened in April and has a draft deadline of 19 June. Whether the application will succeed is unknown.
The comparison that matters
Albert Bridge closed in February 2026 after an inspector found a cracked component. At its worst, in 2014, Albert Bridge’s critical score was 39. That is 11 points higher than Putney Bridge’s score today.
From that point, Kensington and Chelsea maintained Albert Bridge every single year for twelve years. Its critical score went from 39 to 79. It still closed, because the cracked component had not been spotted in any previous inspection.
Putney Bridge is built differently. Masonry, not cast iron. That matters. Civil engineer Burton said masonry arch bridges are significantly more stable than cast-iron structures. The two bridges do not face the same failure risks. But the comparison is not about failure mode. It is about how you manage a bridge. Kensington and Chelsea did everything right and still got caught out. Wandsworth has not done those things.
Putney Bridge carries around 37,000 vehicles a day. That figure has barely shifted since Hammersmith Bridge closed in 2019. Traffic on the bridges nearby fell 20 to 25% in the same period.
It is not just Putney Bridge
Putney.news asked Wandsworth the same questions about Wandsworth Bridge, the council’s other Thames crossing. The answer came back word for word: no annual maintenance budget, no forward plan. The last full inspection of Wandsworth Bridge was in October 2015, nearly eleven years ago. The council spent £3.84 million on emergency bearing repairs in 2023 and then carried out no inspection.
The same answer, about a different bridge. This is not an oversight. It is a policy.
“A great example of how we’re investing in our borough’s infrastructure”
In December 2024, the council finished junction works at the approach to Putney Bridge. Cllr Jenny Yates, Cabinet Member for Transport, called it “a great example of how we’re investing in our borough’s infrastructure.”
Two months later, in February 2026, the same month Albert Bridge closed, the council announced cosmetic repainting of East Putney railway bridges. Cllr Yates said it was “part of our Decade of Renewal, improving and refurbishing roads, pavements and bridges.”
Those works are paid for from developer contributions. Structural maintenance of Putney Bridge comes from a different budget. In this case, there is no budget.
As we reported in February, when Albert Bridge closed, Putney Bridge became the last unrestricted crossing left. As we revealed in March, Wandsworth told a ministerial meeting it had no money for Hammersmith Bridge repairs, three days after standing at a public rally demanding urgent action. Albert Bridge’s full closure came in April.
What we asked the council
Putney.news put nine questions to Wandsworth Borough Council on its maintenance approach and budget and what it intends to do about the failing scores for Putney Bridge. We will update this story if it gets back.
