With
streets and Tube trains packed with workers and tourists jostling for space,
central London can be anything but relaxing.
But
an oasis of calm away from packed public transport could soon be on its way
with a piece of countryside set to land on the River Thames.
Thomas
Heatherwick, the creator of the London 2012 Olympic cauldron, has unveiled
plans for a £60million bridge full of trees and flower beds to span the river
from Temple to the South Bank.
It
would be the first new crossing across the Thames since the 'wobbly' Millennium
Bridge opened in 2002 and London's answer to New York's High Line, where a
disused train line has been transformed into a lush aerial park.
A
computer-generated image shows how a garden bridge across the River Thames
could look. Olympic cauldron designer Thomas Heatherwick is looking for backing
for the £60million project
The
bridge would link Temple to the South Bank, with pedestrians enjoying stunning
views of St Paul's Cathedral and the City of London to the east
The
project, which is being developed with engineering firm Arup, will go ahead
only if Heatherwick can raise money from private backers and will not receive
public funds.
It
could open as soon as 2016 and give stunning views along the river of St Paul's
Cathedral and the City of London to the east.
It
is hoped that cycle lanes would be improved on nearby Waterloo and Blackfriars
bridges if pedestrians opt for the new walkway.
The
idea of garden bridge across the river has long been backed by actress Joanna
Lumley.
Thomas
Heatherwick, left, has found a celebrity supporter for the garden bridge in
Joanna Lumley, right
'It
will be the slowest way to cross the river, as people will dawdle and lean on
parapets and stare at the great cityscapes all around; but it will also be a
safe and swift way for the weary commuter to make his way back over the Thames.
'I
believe it will bring to Londoners and visitors alike peace and beauty and
magic.'
Isabel
Dedring, London's deputy mayor for transport, told the Evening Standard: 'The
mayor has been keen to find an iconic piece of green infrastructure that can
symbolise London as a high quality of life place to live.
'It
is a great example of a project where in our view there doesn’t need to be a
major public contribution. But if private sector funding isn’t forthcoming then
the project isn’t going to be able to go ahead.'
Thomas
Heatherwick also designed the cauldron for the London 2012 Olympic and
Paralympic Games
Heatherwick
also designed new Routemaster buses for London, which were nicknamed 'cauldron
on wheels' following air-conditioning problems in the heatwave
Heatherwick
has previously designed state-of-the-art Routemasters for the capital, which
were dubbed 'cauldrons on wheels' earlier this month after temperatures soared
to 30C onboard because of faulty air-conditioning.
The
Olympic Cauldron was made of 204 petals each engraved with the name of a
participating country, which were presented to the nations following the
closing ceremony of the Paralympics in September.
Heatherwick
was awarded the CBE in January for services to the design industry.
