Appendix 2 - DR A F T s takeholder handling plan for full closure comms

Background

During planned checks, specialist bridge inspectors working for LBHF found a fracture in one of the bridge’s on 10 April 2019. The Council immediately closed the bridge to motor traffic to ensure public safety. While the decision was taken by the bridge owner, LBHF, we fully support it. Further fractures were found in the during subsequent inspections. The fractures were discovered as part of a comprehensive review of the bridge’s condition, commissioned by LBHF, but supported and funded by us.

Current Situation Hammersmith Bridge is currently operating under ‘Case for Continued Safe Operation’. This depends on continued evidence of no change to detected damage.

Should there be a need to close the bridge to pedestrians and cyclists, this could happen immediately. We have bus and traffic plans that could be implemented and would seek to provide the best alternative routes for current bridge users. However, further impact on journey times and patterns due to the diversion and closure would be inevitable.

It is vital that our contingency plans include a robust approach to setting out how TfL would inform and engage with key stakeholders, customers and the wider public.

Comms flow diagram

The draft flow diagram below maps how information would be shared between all partners and how we would manage stakeholder comms if the bridge were to fully close.

TFL comms would ideally be a working group set up by LCP with the involvement of the following internal stakeholders to ensure messages were accurate and inclusive:

• Bus Planning • Dial-a-Ride • Customer Information • Digital • TDM • Customer Contact Centre • Press Office • Gov Rels • Assembly Relations • SAE • Corporate Comms

Sign off of all messaging would go via this group and City Hall.

Action Plan

Actions that would need to be clarified/agreed by LCP through the project board and comms group include: Action Who

Understand if/when LBHF will issue a public LCP/ HB Project team and H&F comms team statement/decision

Inform City Hall Project team/LCP

Liaise with buses on the plan LCP/ Bob Blitz / Comms Group

Liaise with TDM (Ceri James) re impacts and LCP / Ceri James other traffic measures

Liaise with Press Team on public statements LCP / Danny Keillor re closure / new transport arrangements

Liaise with customer information/ digital/ LCP / Jane Commons marketing

Agree lines for customers and stakeholders LCP with all internal TfL stakeholders and Comms Group

Issue/notify stakeholders about the changes LCP/Gov Rel/AM/SAE/Customer Information/ Marketing/ Digital/Comms Group

Update Hammersmith Bridge bus changes LCP/Digital web page

Start up monitoring of YourSay inbox LCP

Report back to buses/TDM/project team LCP themes of YourSay feedback

Stakeholder Plan

All agreed stakeholder messaging would be cascaded in the following ways:

Who’s going to tell Category Stakeholder How? them?

Kingston Neighbouring Hounslow E-mail LCP boroughs Wandsworth RBKC

Ealing

Richmond

Sarah Olney

Fleur Anderson

MPs Greg Hands E-mail Gov Relations

Andy Slaughter

Munira Wilson

Florence Eshalomi

Caroline Pidgeon

Tony Devenish E-mail Assembly Relations AMs

Caroline Russell

Leonie Cooper

LTW E-mail SAE

Barnes Community LCP Resident groups Association Other residents groups H&F/Richmond

Hammersmith BID H&F BIDs Richmond BID LCP

Buses

TfL Bus Planning team are aware of potential short notice full closure.

Their contingency will look to quickly send the 209 to follow the 378 so we only run the service as 378 between Barnes and Putney Bridge. This would be quite quick and easy to do.

Others services are more difficult. We will get calls to increase the frequency of route 533 from every 30 mins. That would be challenging to resource at short notice. The 419 would not change. We may get calls to reinstate the extra service on the 265 between Roehampton and Putney Bridge but this would again be difficult to resource at short notice.

Stakeholder email

Should the above scenario take place then the below email should be sent to all stakeholders (to be amended as required):

Dear Sir Madam,

I am writing to advise you that contractors working on behalf of Hammersmith & Fulham council and TfL have discovered xxx which will require the bridge to be closed to all traffic, including pedestrians and cyclists, immediately.

I apologise for the sudden nature of this closure however we need to take the necessary precautions to keep the travelling public safe.

We continue to work with Hammersmith and Fulham and Richmond upon Thames councils to progress a long-term solution to bring the bridge back into use.

Please can you cascade this information on to those required. If you have any further questions please let me know.

Best wishes,