H&F Leader Stephen Cowan said this week that Hammersmith Bridge was closed in August to prevent a “national disaster” following engineers’ advice that it could collapse. He was commenting after a government-appointed engineers’ report was published.

Cllr Cowan added: “We will continue to look at all possible means of safely having the bridge re-opened. But we will never take any decision that is against the specialist engineers’ advice that there is a serious risk to the lives of the tens of thousands of pedestrians, cyclists, motor vehicle drivers and river traffic that used or travelled under the bridge each week.”

Read the full statement here.