All's Not Rosy for Garden Bridge

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12 June 2015 | Updated 01 January 1970

The London Assembly has voted against Boris Johnson’s current plans for the controversial Garden Bridge.

The bridge has been particularly criticised in terms of its proposed location on the Thames between the roof of Temple Station on the Embankment on the North bank to Queen's Walk by the London Studios across the river.

However, opposition has focused on the cost to the public purse as well. The motion at a plenary session of the London Assembly has called upon the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, to carry out a full audit of the project’s funding and to remove TfL funding for a project which ‘serves no transport function’.

The project has seen opposition from a range of groups that includes cyclist organisations and the Taxpayers’ Alliance.

Location, location etc

On the question of location, Assembly Member, Caroline Pidgeon, who proposed the motion, commented: “There are many locations along the Thames, from Rotherhithe to Canary Wharf, where there is a far more pressing need for a bridge serving pedestrians and cyclists than the site of the Garden Bridge.”

She noted that if the objective of the Garden Bridge was to improve London’s public spaces, it was "folly to cut down more than 30 mature trees and reduce much valued open space on the south bank.  £60 million of public funding could be far better spent improving numerous parks and open spaces across the capital.”

Seconding the motion, Valerie Shawcross drew attention to the promotion of the Garden Bridge as a transport project that appeared to fail to guarantee public right of way or step free access and with no provision for cycling. “Local residents will undoubtedly feel the impact of increasing numbers of tourists in what is already a congested area and it’s likely we’ll see the fine open vista of the river and St Paul’s cluttered and obscured,” she argued.

Clarification

We are indebted to the Garden Bridge Trust for the following clarification: The London Assembly holds the Mayor to account and has performed this role in scrutinising the Garden Bridge and expressing its view on the project. However, the Assembly does not approve decisions made by the Mayor. (The Garden Bridge Trust understands that the mayor remains in full support of the Bridge.)

Accessibility

The designs for the bridge DO include step free access to the bridge via two lifts at each end.

Correction

In an earlier version of this article, ThisWeekinFM stated the RSPB was an opponent of the bridge - you can read the RSPB's 'neutral' stance here.

Picture: The Garden Bridge has drawn criticism from a wide range of groups with a motion from the GLA adding to Boris Johnson’s headaches on the scheme.

Article written by Mike Gannon | Published 12 June 2015

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