The Children’s Commissioner today waded into the row over the closure of Hammersmith Bridge saying it was “extremely disappointing” that pupils will be forced to make arduous trips in the dark to school over winter. The intervention by Anne Longfield came two days after the taskforce set up by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps to speed up repairs to the crossing confirmed that no replacement ferry service will be available until the spring. It was originally hoped that a shuttle between Barnes and Hammersmith could be in place by the time the clocks changed last week.