Boris pledges to sort Hammersmith flyover crisis

Boris Johnson took charge of the crisis on the Hammersmith flyover today as it emerged that the bridge could partially reopen to traffic within three weeks.

Mr Johnson visited the west London flyover and said he wanted to reassure drivers "suffering traffic hell" that he is doing everything in his power to ensure it is open again as soon as possible.

Transport for London today admitted that the crisis on the flyover was continuing and said it would be at least another week before engineers can decide whether the bridge is strong enough to support even light traffic.

But sources today told the Standard there are hopes the flyover can be at least partially reopened within two to three weeks. The Mayor gave his assurance that it would be fully reopened in time for the Olympics.

The 50-year-old flyover, which carries the A4 over the centre of Hammersmith, was shut suddenly on December 23 when steel cables were found to have been corroded by salt water from grit laid during successive winters.

Investigations over Christmas revealed some cables had snapped. It is understood that before Christmas, worried transport officials even raised the possibility of the flyover having to be knocked down and rebuilt because of the extent of the damage. More than 80 TfL engineers are working around the clock to repair the bridge.

Mr Johnson, who yesterday returned from a family holiday in Italy, said: "I want to reassure the thousands of motorists and local people who are suffering traffic hell that the flyover will not be closed one day longer than necessary. Transport for London will reopen this vital stretch of road as soon as they are able to do so."

Leon Daniels, TfL's managing director of surface transport, said: "Our team continues to work night and day alongside the world's leading structural engineers to understand the extent of the flyover's structural problems."

But Chris Burgoyne, a reader in concrete structures at Cambridge university, said drivers could still face months of disruption.

Mr Burgoyne, who was drafted in to assess the damage, said: "It could be months before the bridge is completely reopened. It is likely that they will say the bridge can re-open with one lane in each direction taking light traffic only - no trucks. But it is possible that motorists will suffer a number of months more of disruption."