Wednesday 22 July 2015

Nine Elms-to-Pimlico shortlisted bridge designs unveiled

Londoners are being invited to give their opinion on four new designs for a bridge across the River Thames.
The proposals for the bridge were shortlisted from 74 entries in a competition run by Wandsworth Council.
The £40m cycle and pedestrian bridge will stretch from Nine Elms to Pimlico in south London. The council hopes the bridge will boost growth in Nine Elms.
Artist impression of proposed Thames Bridge by Ove Arup Partners
Westminster City council said concerns over the proposed bridge's location had been raised by Pimlico residents.
Movement by bikes and walkers in both directions at peak times is a key criteria of the proposed designs.
Artist impression of proposed Thames Bridge by Ove Arup Partners
Ove Arup Partners' have two shortlisted design proposals
Artist impression of proposed Thames Bridge by Ove Arup Partners
Ove Arup Partners' proposed design included spiralling bridges
The bridge must also be high enough to allow large boats to pass below, but not too steep for pedestrians and cyclists to climb.
Residents have been invited to comment on the designs and their feedback will be considered by the competition panel before a winner is named later this year.
The design teams in the running are Buro Happold, Bystrup Architecture Design and Engineering and Ove Arup & Partners - who have two shortlisted proposals.
Artist impression of proposed Thames Bridge by Buro Happold
The four designs were short-listed from 74 which were submitted to the competition
Artist impression of proposed Thames Bridge by Buro Happold
The competition's jury panel includes councillors, an architect and an engineer
Artist impression of proposed Thames Bridge by Ove Arup Partners
The designs must also allow for movement by bikes and walkers in both directions
Ravi Govindia, leader of Wandsworth Council, said: "There is still a long way to go but these teams have given us real hope that a solution can be found to the complex challenges involved in creating a new pedestrian and cycle link across this stretch of the river."
Councillor Heather Acton, Westminster City Council cabinet member for sustainability, said: "Westminster is not against connecting the two banks of the Thames for pedestrians and cyclists, in fact we are very enthusiastic.
"The location, however, needs far more careful thought, in terms of connectivity and also with regard to cost to the taxpayer."
She added a preferable alternative would be a new pedestrian-cyclist bridge alongside the existing rail bridge that connects Battersea to Victoria Station.