Key Points

• Wandsworth Council spent £600,000 to repaint and upgrade two railway bridges at East Putney Tube station, including “pigeon-proofing” measures.
• The newly painted bridges feature bright blue and yellow colours, prompting comparisons to the Swedish furniture brand IKEA.
• Local residents and a Conservative ward councillor have described the colour scheme as “garish” and “out of character” with the surrounding area.
• The work was carried out in March 2026 under the previous Labour-led council administration and approved by former Labour Cllr Finna Ayres.
• The council says no public consultation was required because the project was classified as “capital maintenance”.
• A senior transport planner at the council has stated there are no plans to revise the paint job, describing negative comments as “relatively few”.

Wandsworth Council’s (South London News) July 20, 2026 £600,000 repaint of two railway bridges at East Putney Tube station — completed in May 2026 — has drawn sharp criticism from residents and a local councillor, who have labelled the bright blue-and-yellow colour scheme a “garish” and “IKEA-like” paint job that clashes with the area’s character.

What exactly was done to the East Putney bridges — and how much did it cost?

Wandsworth Council paid £600,000 to redecorate and upgrade two railway bridges at East Putney Tube station, with the work including cleaning, repainting and “pigeon-proofing” the site, according to reporting by the Evening Standard. Contractors carried out the repainting in March 2026 under the council’s previous Labour leadership, before the party lost overall control in the May local elections, as reported by MyLondon. A Wandsworth Council spokesman confirmed:

“The cost was £600,000 and the project was completed in May 2026.”

Who approved the colour scheme — and was there public consultation?

The bridges are owned by Network Rail and Transport for London, and were repainted in line with the council’s conditions and approved by former Labour Cllr Finna Ayres, according to the Evening Standard.

The council has stated there was no consultation process on the painting scheme because it was deemed to be “capital maintenance” and therefore not required, the Standard reports.

What have residents said about the new bridge colours?

One local resident, Emma, 38, described the bright colours as “out of character” with the area, where she has lived for the past eight years. She said:

“I just think it’s a bit of a shame they’ve gone for this garish colour palette that’s not in keeping with the surrounding area.”

What has the local councillor said?

Conservative ward member for East Putney, Cllr George Crivelli, told the Evening Standard:

“I think it’s a bit too bright, and not in keeping with the local area. My main concern about it was that, in effect, one councillor has decided the colour scheme on it.”

He added:

“I’m very pleased to see the bridge being repainted, and I’m very pleased to see it being cleaned up, but a lot of people think it’s a bit garish, and I have to say I’m inclined to agree on that. People call it the IKEA bridge, I’ve heard people say it looks like an IKEA bridge.”

Why are people comparing the bridge to IKEA?

The bridge’s new bright blue and yellow colours have prompted comparisons to the Swedish furniture brand IKEA, with some locals dubbing it the “IKEA bridge”, according to MyLondon and the Evening Standard. The nickname has spread as a “running joke” among residents, as reported by MyLondon.

What is the council’s response to the criticism?

A senior transport planner at the council has reportedly insisted there are no plans to revise the paint job, with negative comments said to be

“relatively few given the very large numbers of local residents and station users”,

the Evening Standard reports. A Wandsworth Council spokesman stated:

“The cost was £600,000 and the project was completed in May 2026.”

Background: How did this development come about?

The East Putney bridges were part of a wider capital maintenance programme aimed at improving the condition and appearance of transport infrastructure in the borough. The work included structural cleaning, repainting and the installation of pigeon-proofing measures to reduce mess and damage caused by birds, a common issue on urban rail bridges.

The project was initiated and approved under the previous Labour-led administration, with former Labour Cllr Finna Ayres signing off the colour scheme.

Because the work was categorised as capital maintenance rather than a new aesthetic or public realm project, the council says it was not required to run a public consultation on the colour palette.

The repainting was carried out by contractors in March 2026, with the full project completed by May 2026, shortly before the May local elections in which Labour lost overall control of Wandsworth Council.

Prediction: How might this development affect local residents and commuters?

The controversy over the East Putney bridge colours is likely to have several effects on the local community and regular station users. First, the “IKEA bridge” nickname and wider social media attention may increase footfall and curiosity among passers-by, turning the site into a minor local landmark — albeit one associated with debate rather than praise.

Second, the lack of consultation and the perception that a single councillor decided the colour scheme may fuel calls for greater community involvement in future public works, particularly in a post-election environment where political control has changed.

Third, the council’s stance that there are no plans to revise the paint job could entrench local dissatisfaction among those who feel the colours are jarring, potentially affecting perceptions of the council’s responsiveness to resident feedback.

For commuters, the practical benefits of cleaner, pigeon-proofed bridges may be overshadowed in the short term by the visual impact of the bright colours, especially if the nickname and media coverage continue to circulate. Over time, however, familiarity may reduce the initial shock, and the infrastructure improvements — including reduced bird-related maintenance — may come to be seen as the project’s primary legacy.