Each week, Ben Hopkinson looks back at a serious, crazy, and happy news story from the past week.
Serious News
Hammersmith Bridge has been closed for vehicle access since 2019, after cracks were seen in its pedestals.
Now there are proposals on what to do with the 138-year-old bridge – will it remain as in inaccessible monument, or to be demolished and replaced with a new crossing? Both of these ideas were put forward by the Department for Transport and rejected during a recent government meeting.
Vehicles could be seen to be permanently banned from the bridge in a move that will lower restoration costs as well as boost the local environment.
The cost of a full repair has increased year on year and now estimates sit at £250million, £45million has already been spent on the Grade II listed structure.
A DfT spokesperson said: “The Government faces a difficult situation with Hammersmith Bridge, where decisions about its future have been ducked for many years”.
Putney MP Fleur Anderson has guessed that a full repair programme may take until 2035.
Crazy News
As a way to warn people near phone theft hotspots, City of London have painted blue plaques on the floor.
The aim of the signs is to reduce the £50million a year trade of stolen phones across London.
More than 1,000 stolen phones have been recovered across the last two years – which could have been more had the owner have been located.
The plaques read: “A member of the public had their phone stolen here. Look up, look out”.
Happy News
The government has given the go-ahead on a new GCSE subject teaching students about the climate crisis, sustainability and the natural environment.
One of the newest GCSEs in over a decade was passed by the Minister of State for School Standards, Catherine McKinnell and will be assessed by OCR.
Students will get a “rigorous understanding” from both their local wildlife, environment and ecosystems to “critical global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity and sustainability” which will allow children to “understand and protect the nature on their doorstep and beyond”.
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