Chiswick Station footbridge now not due to reopen until February 2026

Pedestrian footbridge at Chiswick Station before work started at the beginning of August

Condition of the footbridge worse than Network Rail expected

Network Rail have announced that the work on the footbridge at Chiswick Station will continue until mid-February.

When they started the work to refurbish and strengthen it on Saturday 2 August, initially they planned to have it finished by Monday 15 September, but as the work has progressed, they say:

“recent inspections have revealed that the structure’s condition is significantly worse than initially anticipated.”

Their plan was to instal new steel structures, clean the footbridge with water-jets, and repaint it while the line was closed for major repair work to Barnes Railway Bridge.

READ ALSO: No trains through Chiswick Station 23-31 August, footbridge closed until 15 September

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As a result of what they have found, additional repairs are required, they say, to ensure the bridge meets current safety standards, but they say if they do the job properly now it will be better in the long run:

“The substantial work we are carrying out on the footbridge will mean that we won’t need to continue to keep coming back to the bridge to carry out minor maintenance work, reducing disruption to passengers and improving their experience at the station”.

Workers dismantling the footbridge 

Local councillors slam Network Rail for “poor communication”

The closure of the footbridge has been deeply inconvenient to people living in Grove Park. Cllr  Jack Emsley, who represents Chiswick Homefields, said:

“We all agree that the bridge must be made safe – no one would want the works rushed at the expense of public safety. But Grove Park residents and schools have already experienced major inconvenience from previous closures, and communication throughout the process has been poor. This must change.”

Cllr Gabriella Giles, Chiswick Riverside added:

“This delay will have a particular impact on students at Chiswick School, making daily journeys far longer and more difficult.

“I specifically asked Network Rail to explore the option of a temporary replacement crossing, but unfortunately, this was turned down. At the very least, Network Rail must now engage far earlier with schools, residents and businesses before any disruptive works take place.”

Chiswick Station access closed off

“Every effort” made to reopen the bridge as soon as possible

The railway operator says the principal reason for this further delay is the need to secure access during periods when no trains are running:

“This requires us to balance the demands of refurbishment with the need to minimise travel disruption through this section of the network”.

Rail passengers have already had to put up with no trains running through Chiswick Station for nine days between Saturday 23 and Sunday 31 August, so closure of the footbridge is seen as the lesser of two evils, the alternative being closure of the railway line again, inconveniencing far more people.

Network Rail say:

“We will continue to keep you informed as the programme progresses, and every effort will be made to ensure the bridge is reopened as soon as possible.

“We recognise the disruption this causes to the local community and passengers, and we sincerely apologise for the delay.

“Updates will continue to be shared as the works progress and ahead of any particularly disruptive activities”.

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