FM Conway has won a contract to refurbish Blackfriars Bridge across the River Thames in London, which will start in late summer 2021 and run until 2024.
The firm said the newly awarded contract from the City of London Corporation will see its structures team start work in late summer 202, with the bridge remaining open to all forms of traffic and no significant interruptions.
Chairman of the City of London Corporation’s Bridge House Estates Board, Giles Shilson said: ‘Blackfriars Bridge was last painted in 2000 and is starting to show signs of wear, including some ageing parapets and rust staining.
‘The repaint and refurbishment of this important bridge will greatly improve its aesthetics and will also protect the fabric of the structure to increase its longevity.’
FM Conway structures director Matthew Smith said the award reflects the company’s expertise in the refurbishment of heritage listed structures and proven experience working over the Thames.
He said: ‘We have developed a strong team with recent experience of Blackfriars Bridge and well-established stakeholder relationships. We are looking forward to getting started and introducing a range of innovations to support the City of London Corporation ’s environmental and social value commitments over the next three years.’
A contract notice published in November gave the value of the procurement as £8m. The scope of works includes:
- repair and renovation of the cast iron parapets to Blackfriars Bridge
- creating a suitable access system to the underside of the deck that satisfies requirements of all stakeholders
- preparation and maintenance painting of the five spans of the bridge
FM Conway said that using an ‘innovative’ cantilevered scaffold system, it plans to carry out the work while minimising the load placed upon the bridge structure and maximising footway space for pedestrians.
Blackfriars Bridge is one of the busiest crossings over the Thames, and the location of one of the busiest work sites for the Tideway Tunnel project.
It is a five-span steel and wrought iron rib arch structure carrying the A201 as well as a cycle superhighway over the River Thames. The 285m long structure was built in 1869 and widened in 1909 with the addition of new steel arches.
The project will be delivered in partnership with Taziker and Alltask who recently played a key role in FM Conway’s refurbishment of the Grade II listed Rochester Bridge.
