Skip to main content

Plans for new Thames crossing unveiled

On the 120th anniversary of the completion of London’s Tower Bridge, Arup, along with architects HOK, has unveiled its plans for a new bridge across the River Thames. The US$1 billion concept, called ‘Bridge East London’, would help transform leisure and business travel and enhance life in the east of the capital. It suggests a new road bridge over the River Thames, linking Beckton and Thamesmead at Gallions Reach. The proposed bridge would allow clear passage for ships and takes into account aircraf
July 1, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
On the 120th anniversary of the completion of London’s Tower Bridge, Arup, along with architects HOK, has unveiled its plans for a new bridge across the River Thames.

The US$1 billion concept, called ‘Bridge East London’, would help transform leisure and business travel and enhance life in the east of the capital. It suggests a new road bridge over the River Thames, linking Beckton and Thamesmead at Gallions Reach.

The proposed bridge would allow clear passage for ships and takes into account aircraft taking off or landing at City Airport. It would also provide a much needed link for cyclists, who will be able to enjoy a segregated cycle path, and open up new bus routes crossing the river.

Colin Stanbridge, chief executive, LCCI, says: “Nearly half of London’s population lives east of Tower Bridge yet they are served by only two fixed road river crossings.”

“London’s infrastructure is already under pressure and as the city’s population continues to grow it is more important than ever that we provide better accessibility and connectivity to integrate communities. Infrastructure projects such as Crossrail are going a long way to help increase capacity but this proposed bridge could provide a much needed link for east London,” commented Arup director Stephanos Samaras.

“Improving connectivity and accessibility is a key element of the regenerative process, and we strongly believe that a new bridge in this location will act as a powerful stimulant to growth, the strengthening of local communities and businesses, and the enhancement of the local environment,” said Richard Gammon, HOK’s global director, Aviation + Transportation.

Related Content

  • Weigh in Motion gets smarter
    January 4, 2023
    Weigh in Motion technology is at the forefront of protecting road surfaces and helping enforcement activity – but could it also play a key role in the development of Smart Cities?
  • Five companies shortlisted for Roads of the Future project
    May 29, 2018
    Five companies will present ideas ranging from smart traffic lights to segregated driverless zones in a competition to make UK roads fit or driverless cars. The candidates will receive £30,000 to test ideas, with £50,000 prize available to the winner this autumn. The National Infrastructure Commission shortlisted the companies from 81 entries submitted to The Roads for the Future initiative – led by Highways England and Innovate UK. Aecom is examining how smart signals could advise drivers and vehicles
  • Taking the long view of ITS
    March 24, 2015
    Caroline Visser believes the ITS industry must present a coherent case for consideration of the technology to become part of transport policy and planning. As ITS advisor and road finance director for the International Road Federation (IRF) in Geneva, Caroline Visser is well placed to evaluate quantifying the benefits of ITS implementation – a topic about which there is little agreement and even less consistency. She is pressing to get some consistency in the evaluation of ITS deployments through the use of
  • ARTBA proposes path to breaking gridlock on transportation funding
    March 13, 2015
    The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) has outlined a detailed proposal it believes could end the political impasse over how to fund future federal investments in state highway, bridge and transit capital projects. The ‘Getting beyond gridlock’ plan would marry a 15 cents-per-gallon increase in the federal gas and diesel motor fuels tax with a 100 per cent offsetting federal tax rebate for middle and lower income Americans for six years. The plan, ARTBA says, would fund a US$401 bil