Putney Bridge closed for 3 months?

clarkey cat

Saw a sign today on the ride in that it's to be closed for 3 months from Monday 14th July.

Is that right? That's going to cause gridlock in SW London.

drlodge

Yes that's correct. Its closed for cars, but accessible by pedestrians (and cyclists if they dismount and walk).

Walking over with a bike is a pain, but I would think the roads leading to and from the bridge will be a lot quieter, so could be an opportunity for nicer cycling.

monkimark

yep, apparently a bus drove into it earlier in the week as well.

Still open to pedestrians so you can push the bike across if you're cycling.

clarkey cat

Great - many thanks. Looking forward to some Silly Cleat Racing

veronese68

clarkey cat wrote:

Great - many thanks. Looking forward to some Silly Cleat Racing

MTB shoes and SPDs will win that every time.
Besides you haven't been here for three months where the hell have you been?

clarkey cat

Well last week I was in Yorkshire. Week before, can't remember.

How are you?

monkimark

Here's TfL getting a head start on the bridge repairs, using a bus for initial investigative work

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ho ... 89381.html

veronese68

clarkey cat wrote:

How are you?

Glad I don't go anywhere near Putney Bridge.
Otherwise all good.

marcusjb

It's going to be interesting - I suspect chaos for the first few days, but then may make the whole area less clogged up for a while. I'd also guess Hammersmith Bridge and others will bear the brunt of the traffic volumes.

I am surprised at how late these signs have gone up. I read about the closure maybe 6-8 weeks ago and I thought there might have been a longer publicity campaign.

It desperately needed resurfacing - heading north on it is beyond a joke now.

It will, however, reopen for bikes on the Ride London weekend.

kingtubby

Agree with marcusjb heading north on this bridge is almost an off-road experience and going south needs better traffic management getting bikes to the right hand lane for the Lower Richmond road.

marcusjb

I have been unable to find out anything about whether they will be changing any layout/lanes etc. as part of these works.

Getting across to the right hand lane can be challenging in both directions, even for the experienced and confident rider.

kurako

I think it is just resurfacing and protective measures. Have not seen any mention of layout changes. I'm inclined to be skeptical of the 3 month time frame but at least it should improve air quality in Putney.

http://www.wandsworthguardian.co.uk/arc ... n_July_14/

KnightOfTheLongTights

drlodge wrote:

but I would think the roads leading to and from the bridge will be a lot quieter, so could be an opportunity for nicer cycling.

and everywhere else in SW London will be a total sh * tstorm

drlodge

KnightOfTheLongTights wrote:

drlodge wrote:

but I would think the roads leading to and from the bridge will be a lot quieter, so could be an opportunity for nicer cycling.

and everywhere else in SW London will be a total sh * tstorm

True. I wonder where the sh1tstorm/empty roads boundary will be...given Wandsworth Bridge meets my route into London on the New Kings Road, may be I'll get a mile or two of quiet roads if that

KnightOfTheLongTights

drlodge wrote:

KnightOfTheLongTights wrote:

drlodge wrote:

but I would think the roads leading to and from the bridge will be a lot quieter, so could be an opportunity for nicer cycling.

and everywhere else in SW London will be a total sh * tstorm

True. I wonder where the sh1tstorm/empty roads boundary will be...given Wandsworth Bridge meets my route into London on the New Kings Road, may be I'll get a mile or two of quiet roads if that

hehe, yes quite. You wonder where that massive volume of traffic that goes over PB is gonna go?
There is obv. some self-regulation i.e., less traffic will attempt the journey / more will avoid the area but still.
I'm a Hammersmith Bridge man (Richmond-->High St Ken), so expecting a bit of wash-back there maybe...

cjcp

Still not decided on an alternative route. Will most likely try out both Hammersmith and WB Bridges.

marcusjb

cjcp wrote:

Still not decided on an alternative route. Will most likely try out both Hammersmith and WB Bridges.

I am fairly certain that I will stick to putney bridge and walk across, I still think it will be faster than having to carve through the extra traffic on other bridges. Happy to be proven wrong though.

surrey_commuter

When parliament Sq was shut I walked the first morning and it felt very long and slow and that must be shorter than Putney Bridge... though you will gain on surrounding roads

iPete

Silly Commuter Duathlon Racing?

clarkey cat

Think I'll just go up the A3 and stay south of the river until Southwark Bridge

leeefm

Will they get it in a rideable state by the time the London Surrey Classic goes over it on August 10th?

rick_chasey

Yeah.

cjcp

Well, bollocks to Hammersmith Bridge. Tried it this morning, and the Loop of Almost Certain Doom that is the roundabout at the end of it - Talgarth? - was no fun at all. Took a wrong turn and ended up in Kensington, rather than Fulham.

The Fulham Palace Road is less than ideal, too.

So, WBR it is, or a walk over Putney Bridge, the thought of which makes my skin crawl.

This should be a fun three months.

alan_sherman

I reckon a lot of people will be better off staying south of the river. Wandsworth bridge froad is narrow and will be horrible. Nine elms will become the new embankment.

cjcp

Ok, so perhaps the Universe didn't implode in the way I thought it might.

Walked over Putney Bridge. Not yet ready for a new commute route. These things take time.

tgotb

cjcp wrote:

Ok, so perhaps the Universe didn't implode in the way I thought it might.

Walked over Putney Bridge. Not yet ready for a new commute route. These things take time.

LRR was deserted (apart from the impromptu bus station just before the bridge), NKR was deserted, and Putney Bridge took 2 mins to cross (I timed it). That will probably get a bit longer when they actually start digging up the road, but at the moment I reckon it's an improvement...

mpdouglas

I agree. The walk was OK. Not nearly as bad as the walk when they close the road in front of parliament. I was a bit earlier than usual today so I may jut have been lucky. I'll stick with it and see how I feel after a week of it. Plan B is WBR minus the One Way System (going to try cutting through on Smugglers Way).

surrey_commuter

Hated the idea of walking so took the A3 into Wandsworth and over WBR which all worked well.

dyrlac

Ped access to the pavement is a bit narrow (feel quite bad for the civilians on foot getting jostled with so many bikes), and when they properly stop cyclists from riding as soon as we're past the barriers, it will just be awful. A3 for me as well I think. Will test the reverse tonight. Otherwise, it will be CS7 (cue ominous music).

rjsterry

Putney Bridge is way off my route, but I often go over Wandsworth Bridge from Garratt Lane. It's very variable: sometimes busy and fast moving, sometimes empty, sometimes gridlocked. I always turn right at the north end, towards Lots Road as WBR is too narrow, so it's full gas off the roundabout then swing across to the right hand lane as you crest the bridge/when there's a gap. Quite invigorating.

dazzTurning

Wandsworth Bridge was MAYHEM this morning. Even earlier than normal, it was gridlock. Not nice to cycle in...