Redbridge Council submits bid for Broadmead Road Bridge

The council is seeking the Department for Transport's Structures Fund to help secure the bridge's future, and would itself be providing a substantial financial contribution to the project.

The bridge, which has been closed for several years due to structural issues, has caused significant disruption to local residents and businesses.

The council said replacing the bridge would reconnect communities, improve access across Woodford, and support local businesses. It would also restore an important route used by residents, visitors, and emergency services, strengthening infrastructure above the Central line.

The council's bid follows extensive surveys, inspections, and engineering assessments to understand the bridge's condition and the necessary replacement work.

The council has also campaigned for investment, working closely with Government, local MPs, TfL, and other partners, and has secured support from key stakeholders.

The bridge replacement project is complex, as it spans the Central line and contains essential utility services that need diverting before reconstruction can start.

In recent years, officers and engineers have been refining designs, developing cost estimates, carrying out technical studies, and preparing delivery plans to ensure the scheme is ready to progress if funding is secured.

Cllr Kam Rai, leader of Redbridge Council, emphasised the importance of the bid to the local community, saying: "This bid is about local people. We are determined to restore this important connection for residents, businesses and everyone who relies on it, and that's why we've worked so hard to get to this point."

Cllr Rai also thanked residents and businesses for their patience and support throughout the bridge's closure.

He acknowledged the impact it has had on daily life, but pledged that if the funding is secured, the council would deliver a "permanent solution: a brand-new bridge built to modern standards that reconnects communities, supports future generations and gives this part of Redbridge the reliable crossing it deserves."

If successful, the funding would support the council's long-term plans for Broadmead Road Bridge, providing a safe and reliable crossing, reconnecting communities, and creating an asset for decades to come.

The Structures Fund is a national programme supporting the repair and replacement of some of England's most deteriorated bridges, tunnels, and flyovers.

Redbridge's bid highlights public safety, transport resilience, economic benefits, and the bridge's importance to the community. The council will continue advocating for investment while applications are reviewed, and will keep residents updated on the bid's progress.