The owners of Canary Wharf have criticised plans for a bridge across the Thames linking the Isle of Dogs with Rotherhithe.
Canary Wharf Group’s hostility to the scheme has been known for some time but is now a matter of public record thanks to the firm’s submission to the London Plan examination in public currently being held at City Hall
“We are concerned about the proposed walk and cycle river crossing between Rotherhithe and Canary Wharf,” says CWG in its written statement on transport schemes in London.
“This is a very expensive and environmentally intrusive scheme and we believe the significantly cheaper ferry proposal should be properly considered as a more viable and attractive (to users) proposition.
“With public finances heavily constrained, it is vital that investment in infrastructure is spent wisely on the most important, beneficial and deliverable initiatives.”
Last month Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “Transport for London (TfL) is continuing to develop the scheme, including aspects of design, construction and operation of this important new crossing.
“As part of this, TfL is engaging directly with a number of stakeholders, including the Port of London Authority, London boroughs, land owners and local community groups.
“This work is helping to develop greater detail on the scheme, which TfL will share as part of a formal public consultation, which is currently planned to launch in spring 2019.”
In its London Plan EIP submission, Canary Wharf also argues that greater capacity is needed on the Jubilee line in order to meet future demand.
Could this be the nail in the coffin? Really feels like it’s not going to be built if such a major stakeholder (and potential funding source) is against it. They’re argument make very little sense, so reading between the lines what is their real concern… loosing exclusivity and high property rates on Isle of Dogs? Really can’t see why else they’d propose it. The money argument doesn’t stack up given the amount of investment going on in Canary W
The CWG is not stating their real motive. Where does this sudden concern about environment and public money come from…? Their goal is to cram more people and fill their pockets. Good things cost money that is true but it is certainly not wasteful. So many will benefit from the bridge compared to the ferry. And I think there is long term positive environmental impact.
Of course the owners of Canary Wharf wouldn’t want the bridge. Once built it would be free to use, whereas a ferry service is a convenient vehicle to price-gouge commuters
An enhanced ferry will also be free – confirmed by TfL
The enhanced ferry would work as part of normal otter card and would not be overpriced.
You can subsidise a lot of crossings with 400 million plus annual running costs of over a million!
The Rotherhithe Bridge has been marred by controversy. To ensure a viable Benefit Cost Ratio for the bridge crossing option, TfL used a cost of £19m or less. However, the initial costs for a vertical lift bridge at the central location are expected to be in the region £400m. TfL have recently confirmed that they cannot build a bridge for £19m but could not provide any explanation as to why this cost was used. As at 2 February 2019, Sadiq Khan has spent £6.3m since being made aware of these material errors in the Rotherhithe Bridge business case.
TfL have also confirmed that no feasibility study has been conducted to determine the most suitable location for crossing the Thames in east London; stating that ‘Our starting point for this scheme was that we were asked by the Mayor to examine the case for a new crossing in this location, specifically connecting Rotherhithe to Canary Wharf’.