The head of a council in East London has pledged to advocate for government assistance to finance the much-needed repairs for an essential bridge during the upcoming Labour conference.
Broadmead Bridge, located in Woodford, was shut to traffic in July 2023 after the discovery of “significant structural issues,” according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Senior council members have indicated that the local authority is unable to bear the £80 million cost of reconstruction, suggesting that the bridge will likely remain closed for the foreseeable future.
Conservative council members have criticized Redbridge Council for its inability to secure the necessary funding and for taking two years to acknowledge the need for a replacement for the bridge.
In a recent report, council officials noted that ongoing pressures, such as the need to develop housing for the elderly, alongside persistent financial strains and high borrowing costs, might render a self-funded solution impractical.
The local government is already forecasting a £43 million budget overrun this year, exacerbated by increasing demands in housing and social care.
Council leader Kam Rai stated, “I will be in Liverpool at the Labour Conference starting Sunday to advocate for equitable funding for Redbridge and to secure national support for the replacement of Broadmead Road Bridge. I will continue to fight for the investment our community deserves.”
The council’s attempts to secure funding for the new bridge have faced significant backlash from residents and opposition party members.
In July, Paul Canal, leader of the Redbridge Conservatives, remarked, “Broadmead Bridge is not a luxury; it’s a crucial lifeline for local residents and businesses. It has taken the council two years to acknowledge what we always knew—this bridge needs replacing—and yet they have not procured any funding. This isn’t merely incompetence; it’s a blatant failure of responsibility.”
Councillor Rai has previously acknowledged the frustration among residents and described the two-year inspection process as “arduous.”
Plans are in place for a new single-span bridge to be constructed over the Central line, featuring reinforced, soil-wall approaches. The council anticipates that this will extend the structure’s lifespan by an additional 120 years.
Cabinet member Jo Blackman remarked earlier in the summer that the matter had been consistently addressed with Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander by the borough’s Labour MPs, Wes Streeting, Calvin Bailey, and former council leader Jas Athwal.
A spokesperson from the Department of Transport stated: “We understand the challenges that local authorities face in maintaining their highway infrastructure. This is why the government has increased funding for road repairs by £500 million this year and announced £1 billion for essential local highway enhancement projects, along with a new Structures Fund aimed at repairing neglected bridges, aging flyovers, and deteriorating tunnels.”
