The Thames is London's biggest expanse of central

open space, its largest nature conservation area and

its greatest natural feature. Its openness is under

threat as there are plans to put a Garden Bridge in the

busiest tourist part of London i.e. Temple Tube Station

to the South Bank, at a cost of £185 million.

 

OVER £60 MILLION OF THIS WILL BE PUBLIC MONEY

 

Despite its name, the Garden Bridge will be mostly

concrete with less than 1/2 football pitch of green

space; 90% of users are not expected to use it to

cross the river.

 

It will have a devastating impact on the river's ecosystem and historic foreshore and will bring over 7 million visitors to a South Bank already bursting with tourists. Iconic views from the riverside and Waterloo Bridge - St Paul's Cathedral, Somerset House, Big Ben and Waterloo sunsets will be ruined by this tourist trap

 

NO cycling allowed. NO picnics allowed. INADEQUATE toilets

for millions of people. NO grass. INADEQUATE step-free access.

Groups of 8 or more are required to register in advance.

 

THIS IS A PRIVATE BRIDGE RUN BY A PRIVATE COMPANY WITH

NO PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY

 

There are many public services and other parts of the country

that desperately need this investment more. The South Bank is

thriving - positively heaving, and the North Bank is healthy and

wealthy enough as it is.The environmental effects of the bridge

will be catastrophic; the proposed landing site on the South

Bank will take away exisiting open green space and destroy 30

mature trees to accommodate a large commercial building.

The rising cost of construction and the burden of annual

maintenance, currently £3.1m per year, will fall upon the

public if the Garden Bridge Trust fails to deliver.

 

For more information about the judicial review, click here

We shall challenge the mayor of London when the mechanism for the public guarantee is released; we believe it would be irrational and therefore unlawful. He should not be signing a guarantee as he would be breaking his promise not to commit any more public funds that he is responsible for on the Garden Bridge. If he does, then any incentive to attract donors would be gone as the project would be backed by the state.