Counter terrorism barriers on Thames bridges will cost £35m

Transport for London has said that it will spend £35 million installing permanent barriers on bridges across the River Thames, as per the recommendations of the coroner who presided over the inquest into the 2017 terror attack at London Bridge.

Temporary barriers were installed on all the bridges in central London within days of the June 2017 terrorist attack on London Bridge where a van was driven at pedestrians. In his inquest report, Judge Mark Lucraft, then chief coroner, said that he expected the relevant public authorities ‘to make every effort to progress the installation of permanent measures on the London bridges’.

He went on to say that ‘funding disputes the relevant public authorities to make every effort to progress the installation of permanent measures on the London bridges’.

In the latest papers for TfL’s Programmes and Investment Committee, the organisation said: "Following the findings of the London Bridge inquest, we are installing protective measures on several bridges across London at a cost of £35 million, to reduce the likelihood and impact of vehicle attacks on pedestrians."