Rethink Thames pedestrian & cycle bridge, says Westminster

Garden Bridge: £175m

Garden Bridge: £175m

The london Borough of Wandsworth is to hold a design competition for a new pedestrian/cycle bridge across the Thames despite continuing opposition from Westminster City Council to the bridge’s proposed location. 

The bridge would link the Nine Elms regeneration area on the south side of the Thames (which includes the former Battersea Power Station site) with Pimlico in Westminster. 

The Nine Elms Vauxhall Partnership has proposed locating the crossing midway between the existing Vauxhall and Chelsea road bridges with a landing point in Pimlico Gardens on the north side. 

But Westminster City Council has concerns about the bridge’s impact on residential amenity and the road network. It has suggested building a bridge adjacent to the existing Grosvenor rail bridge, close to Chelsea road bridge. 

“TfL have agreed to look into this option further, potentially as a new cycle bridge, alongside their preferred option for a combined pedestrian/cycle bridge in a more central location between Vauxhall and Chelsea bridges,” said Westminster’s strategic director for built environment, Rosemarie MacQueen.

“Should a cycle route be provided directly on the east side of the existing Grosvenor rail bridge, then in Westminster City Council officers’ opinions, this could potentially free up the Nine Elms – Pimlico bridge to be pedestrian only – thus lessening its necessary width, ramp length and lifts sizes, and overall impact on the road network, residential amenity and environment.”

But MacQueen added: “The Nine Elms Vauxhall Partnership strategy board is not keen on the Grosvenor crossing idea, believing that it does not offer the same level of transport benefits as a more central location. TfL also believes the demand is greatest in a central location.” 

Explaining the plan for a design competition, Wandsworth’s economic development officer, Nick Smales told councillors: “Exceptional design quality is a necessity and needs to respond to the impressive architecture found within the Pimlico Conservation Area to the north and the emerging world-class architecture on the south bank.”

The competition will be launched this October/November and the winning design should be selected next March. 

A prize/fee of £15,000 will be paid to the four shortlisted bids to enable them to develop detailed designs. Wandsworth will appoint an independent organisation to manage the competition.

The estimated cost of the bridge was £30m but a TfL feasibility study completed last December concluded the cost could be £39.2m (2013 prices) or £63m with optimism bias included. 

Meanwhile, the London Borough of Lambeth and Westminster City Council have received the planning application for the proposed Garden Bridge that would span from Temple London Underground station on the Victoria Embankment to the Southbank, between the Waterloo and Blackfriars bridges.  

Actress Joanna Lumley has been championing the bridge since 1998 and a design has been prepared by Thomas Heatherwick, the Dan Pearson Studio, and Arup. 

TfL is acting as agent to the Garden Bridge Trust and has submitted the planning application. The bridge was originally proposed to be privately funded but is now to receive Government and mayoral funding. TfL has pledged £30m towards the £175m costs and the Treasury is  expected to provide another £30m. 

The Trust plans to begin construction of the bridge next spring if it receives planning permission and raises the necessary funding, with opening planned for 2017/18.

Discuss this at LTT's London Cycling Show on the 12 September