Speaking at City Hall, West Central London's GLA member Tony Devenish called for cross-party action from the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, to re-open Hammersmith Bridge.
Tony asked,
"Afternoon, Mr. Mayor. You used to talk a lot about being a convening mayor.
"But the one thing I love you to talk about, where in the budget will you help with convening of money for Hammersmith Bridge, which has been shut, as you know, to motorised transport for five years, in two months' time. Thank you."
Sadiq Khan replied,
"Look, we've been trying to explain to the Government the importance of working together in relation to resolving the fact that the Council simply can't afford to pay for the cost of the repair to build to the level, the level where vehicles can go over nor can TfL if we don't own that asset, the government can.
"We're more than happy to work with the Government, my Deputy Mayor already sits on the group that meets regularly to discuss progress on that bridge.
"I'm hoping the Government provides financial support that is required because in the meantime people struggle to get across in their vehicles, but also buses can't get across as well.
"I'm hoping this is resolved sooner rather than later."
Tony responded,
"I was hoping that as this is a Labour council, they own it, I was hoping you could use your convening powers because if we don't do something, this is going to go on and on and on.
"And it's real people in Hammersmith and Fulham and across the river in AM. Roger's constituency, affected, not you and I, it’s not a politicians’ issue. "And we've got to work together, all of us, to sort this. Please, Mr. Mayor."