A tunnel to replace Hammersmith’s crumbling flyover could be financed by charging motorists, it emerged on Monday (February 9).
The Mayor of London said introducing a toll, with a ball park figure of £2 per car, is a possible way of raising funds for a flyunder which could cost from £218 million up to £1.7 billion, depending on how it is constructed.
Speaking in Boston Boris Johnson confirmed that plans for the project have come closer after he revealed Transport for London will be doing a feasibility study to see how the ageing road could be buried to reconnect the Thames with the town centre and release lots of open space.
He said: “Rebuilding some of our complex and aging road network underneath our city would not only provide additional capacity for traffic, but it would also unlock surface space and reduce the impact of noise and pollution.”
His announcement comes after he told getwestlondon last March that following his initial scepticism "it’s a most fantastic scheme. We’re going to tunnelise the flyover".
Hammersmith and Fulham’s previous Conservative council, who were ousted in May by Labour, commissioned its own feasibility study to prove it could be done as continuous and expensive works to patch up the flyover cause monthly anguish to drivers coming and going on west London's main artery.
It is supported not just by the Mayor and previously sceptical TfL engineers but by lots of businesses and residents, including comedian Bill Bailey who lives in Hammersmith.
The idea of a toll to fund the flyunder has been mooted before but Mr Johnson gave more gravitas to it today by suggesting it as a strong possibility.
He also said funds could be raised by releasing precious land for development, which the previous council estimated would bring in up to £1 billion.
Mr Johnson revealed the plans while visiting Boston’s Big Dig project which is the largest and most complex highway project in the US and led to substantial regeneration and reduced traffic congestion. He is there as part of a trade mission to build economic and cultural ties with key cities in the United States.
Today he also unveiled a further four locations in London which are deemed suitable for TfL to do feasibility studies on:
- A mini tunnel at the A13 in Barking Riverside to open up new land
- Decking of the A3 in Tolworth to reduce severance, connect the area to the rest of the borough with additional land for new homes
- A flyunder at the A316 at Chalkers Corner to improve facilities for cyclists and pedestrians
- Decking or a mini-tunnel at the A40 in New Southgate to unlock land for new homes
