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Fed up Londoners have lit a bridge bright red as part of a Valentine’s Day stunt that draws attention to its closure.
The Hammersmith Bridge was closed to traffic in April 2019 when cracks appeared in its pedestals, and it was closed to pedestrians and cyclists last August after a heat wave compounded the problem.
With no firm reopening date in sight, the locals decided to create “the UK’s largest Valentine’s Day card” to mark the six months since its total closure.
The message read: ‘Broken hearts. Broken promises. Broken lives. Broken bridge ‘
The message read: “Broken hearts. Broken promises. Broken lives. Broken bridge.”
Organizers said the stunt was aimed at Prime Minister Boris Johnson, London Mayor Sadiq Khan and Transport Secretary Grant Shapps.
Helen Pennant-Rea, who chairs the Hammersmith Bridge SOS Residents Group, said it was intended to be a “fun and entertaining way to draw attention to what remains a serious problem,” saying it takes at the very least a temporary crosswalk.
He added: “It is a great shame that we need to draw more attention to the complete inability of politicians of all parties to find a satisfactory solution.”
The transportation secretary says the Hammersmith Bridge is “ vital ” but there is no firm date for the reopening.
A government task force was launched last September to “open the bridge as soon as possible.”
According to Hammersmith and Fulham Council, the cost of making the bridge safe and avoiding a “potential catastrophic failure” is £ 46 million.
