Croydon residents were outraged after Transport for London (TFL) announced that the Blackhorse Lane Bridge reopening was delayed until 2020 despite promises that it would be completed in January 2019.
Traffic weight restriction measures were put in place in 2013 by TFL but the limit was breached regularly. The bridge was then closed in 2016 and diversions put in place.
The new bridge will be two metres wider to accommodate a cycle path.
Jeet Bains, Conservative councillor for Addiscombe East told Eastlondonlines: “Blackhorse Lane Bridge has been closed since 2016 and was supposed to open in January 2019. Nobody has faith in this new date, as previous commitments have been reneged upon. Businesses on Lower Addiscombe Road have been severely impacted by the closure of this bridge, and some have told me that they may not survive. Local mums and children have had to struggle with the temporary crossing”.
Croydon residents have started a petition demanding “immediate action to be done to expedite the repairs and alleviate the strain on our community”.
Steve O’Connell GLA Member Croydon Sutton on behalf of the Croydon council questioned The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan about how he could personally intervene with the disruption caused by the closure of Blackhorse Lane Bridge.
The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan responded saying the two-year delay for the Blackhorse Lane Bridge “was not good enough”.
He said: “I’ve personally intervened and I’m working with TFL to see what we can do to interrogate that indicative timeline to speed that up. I’ll make sure to keep you updated with any progress we’ve made. We can’t in City Hall dismiss this as a local project because local businesses are being affected.”