Garden Bridge
| Garden Bridge | |
|---|---|
Computer rendering of the proposed bridge, created by engineers Arup
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| Coordinates | 51°30′35″N 0°06′48″W / 51.509631°N 0.113409°WCoordinates: 51°30′35″N 0°06′48″W / 51.509631°N 0.113409°W |
| Carries | Footpath |
| Crosses | River Thames |
| Preceded by | Waterloo Bridge |
| Followed by | Blackfriars Bridge |
| Characteristics | |
| Material | clad concrete |
| Total length | 367 metres (1,204 ft) |
| Width | 30 metres (98 ft) (max, width varies) |
| Number of spans | three |
| History | |
| Designer | Thomas Heatherwick |
| Engineering design by | Arup |
| Construction cost | £185 million (estimate 2016) |
| Statistics | |
| Toll | none announced |
The Garden Bridge is a proposed pedestrian bridge over the River Thames in London, England. Consequent on an idea of Joanna Lumley,Thomas Heatherwick worked with Arup on a proposal by Transport for London for a new bridge across the Thames between Waterloo and Blackfriars bridges. The proposed concrete, steel, cupronickel clad structure is intended to carry pedestrians. It would be located some 200m from Waterloo Bridge and 300m from Blackfriars Bridge, and would include areas of planted gardens. The project includes a commercial building, built on former green space at the southern end of the bridge. The bridge would be funded by £125 million of private money (including charitable gift aid) and £60 million of public money, of which £30m is from Transport for London (£20m of this to be repaid over 55 years) and £30m from the Department for Transport, adding up to £185m in total.
The bridge would be open on 365 days a year from 6am to midnight, save for closures for preparation for and holding up to 12 commercial private events, to raise funds. A planning condition requires annual maintenance costs to be guaranteed by a third party, originally intended to be the Greater London Authority. The maintenance costs are variously estimated at between £2m and £3.5m, before allowing for repayment of loan capital and interest.
In July 2016 preparatory work for the bridge was halted to allow for a financial review. In September 2016 the Mayor of London announced a formal review by Margaret Hodge of the procurement of the bridge project and the value for money it provided.
In October 2016 the National Audit Office reported (below) on procurement issues and perceived value for money for that part of the cost of the project which was being met by funds (£30m) from the Department for Transport.
The Garden Bridge Trust, a registered charity and private company limited by guarantee without share capital, and with an exemption from use of the term "Limited", is to own the bridge, as private space in the public realm. The company was incorporated on 30 October 2013 under reference 08755461.Lord Davies of Abersoch is chairman of the trust and a director of the limited company.
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