Rotherhithe bridge project shelved

Transport for London has cancelled plans to build a tilting pedestrian bridge between Canary Wharf and Rotherhithe. In a letter to the London Assembly’s transport committee, Heidi Alexander, the deputy mayor for transport, said the bridge was now unaffordable in the short to medium term. The cost was originally estimated at £350m, but projections have escalated to nearly £600m. Instead, consultant Beckett Rankine has tabled a design for an electric, self-docking and self-charging ferry service, with three vessels and two new piers providing a crossing every three minutes for less than £30m. Rotherhithe Bridge Action Group co-chair and founder Karryn Beaumont added: “We are delighted TfL is now progressing with the free-to-use, zero emission, electric ferry. This is good for taxpayers, residents and commuters and does not put other Healthy Street projects at risk. With a relatively low entry cost, we hope to see this scheme replicated along the river.”

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