Londoners say new £600,000 railway bridge makeover looks more like Ikea paintjob

| Live News Reporter Published July 20, 2026 12:38pm Updated July 20, 2026 1:24pm Wandsworth Council spent £600,000 painting and carrying out upgrades (Picture: SWNS) A council has been blasted after a railway bridge was given an ‘IKEA’ paint job in a bid to ‘pigeon-proof’ the area. Wandsworth Council spent £600,000 painting and carrying out upgrades such as ‘pigeon-proofing’ two railway bridges at East Putney tube station. The paint job, carried out in March under the body’s previous administration, has been called ‘garish’ by residents and compared to brands such as IKEA and HSS Hire. Homeowner Emma, who has lived in Putney for eight years, says she thinks the new colours are ‘out of character’ compared to the previous muted red. The 38-year-old 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. ‘It’s all just become a bit of a running joke amongst everyone in terms of the IKEA bridge.’ The bright blue and yellow bridge has been compared to an Ikea bag (Picture: SWNS) Council officers say the bridges, which are owned by Network Rail and Transport for London, were repainted according to a specification recommended by the local council and approved by former Labour councillor Finna Ayres. Officers confirmed that there had been no formal consultation for the paint job, as they considered it to be ‘capital maintenance’ and was, therefore, not legally required. Conservative ward councillor and cabinet member for children George Crivelli said: ‘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. ‘What I would have liked was that we actually, maybe, consulted local residents on it. That way, we could have got something that was perhaps more in keeping with the area and something that local residents felt more comfortable with. ‘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.’ Latest London news He added: ‘The only positive thing about those bright colours is that I suppose it will fade over time, won’t it?’ In response to backlash last month, a senior transport planner at the council said there were ‘no plans to revise the design’ with the number of negative comments considered “relatively few given the very large numbers of residents and station users.” A Wandsworth Council spokesperson said: ‘The cost was £600,000 and the project was completed in May 2026.’ Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. For more stories like this, check our news page. Arrow MORE: ‘I have the keys to David Bowie’s childhood home – it’s extraordinary standing inside’ Arrow MORE: Win a luxurious stay for two at London hotel The Gore Arrow MORE: Whistleblower warns London Underground users they are ‘breathing in toxic waste’ News Updates Stay on top of the headlines with daily email updates.