An official event marked the restoration of Brentford Bridge, with project partners celebrating its recently repaired, cleaned and repainted structure.

The historic bridge has been brought back to life with help from local businesses and the community, including artwork by pupils from the nearby Green School for Boys and Girls, reflecting the history of the area and local wildlife.

The works are a result of a project commissioned by the London Borough of Hounslow, in partnership with the London Wildlife Trust, the Canal & River Trust, Holiday Inn Brentford, JCDecaux, Hounslow Highways, Octink and The Green School Trust.

According to Hounslow Council, the canal bank surrounding the bridge has also been transformed from a littered wasteland, and cleared by staff volunteers from nearby business JCDecaux.

Additionally, with the support from London Wildlife Trust, invasive plant species such as Japanese knotweed, buddleja, dead trees, encroaching scrub and litter has been removed, enabling the underlying flora and fauna to flourish, as well as clearing obstructions along the canal bank for boaters passing by.

Representations from the project gathered at the bridge on Friday, 8 October, to celebrate the work.

Gordon Scorer, Chief Executive Officer of London Wildlife Trust said: "We are delighted to have played a key role in restoring and enhancing the land by the Brentford Bridge, including helping the reedbed to recover, so it can provide an important refuge for birds in the future. 

"That a pair of mute swans nested in spring this year is, I believe, testimony to these improvements."

Gordon added they will be installing a kingfisher nesting bank later in the autumn.

Rob Clasper of JCDecaux, said: "Not only has it helped regenerate an area close to our office, it has also brought our internal teams closer together and helped strengthen the bond between JCDecaux and the council."

Built in 1818, and with a bridge on the same location since Roman times, the steel and concrete structure is a historic and crucial transport link in West London.

Located on the A315 arterial route into London, the bridge provides a strategic crossing of the River Brent and Grand Union Canal with a two-lane carriageway heavily used by pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles each day.

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