Being a city that famously has lots of water running through it, London by default has plenty of spectacular bridges. And now it looks like a brand new one will be arriving soon, and this time it’s one that’s curved.
Arriving at Royal Victoria Dock, the bridge will form a double S shape, and asit next to the current bridge. Why the need for a new one? The current bridge is often affected by broken lifts making it hard to access, given it stands 14 feet tall. This new model will stand just about the water while still allowing small boats to pass through. It’s set to be 312 metres along the path in total, curves and all, and around 3,000 people will be able to cross the bridge at peak times, while also being a more sustainable and accessible mode for cyclists.
The project is estimated to cost around £41 million and is now possible after a recent cash injection from Newham Council. The local authority had already approved plans for the building of the new bridge, but have now greenlit the cash going towards it, and plans are now set to make it larger than was originally intended, though the previous cost was around £28 million.
The bridge in Silvertown is largely being paid for by The Silvertown Partnership (who are also developing new homes in the area), while the council are putting forward £13.2 million for the giant structure.
Handily, the bridge will also give Elizabeth line users at Custom House an easier trip across the dock and will improve access to the ExCeL Centre.
There’s no word on when the new curved bridge is expected to be completed, so watch this space for more on that! Now that the cash injection has been approved, work on the bridge is expected to begin soon.