The Mayor proposes 13 new river crossings by 2050

  • London
13 new river crossings planned for the capital Credit: TFL

The Mayor of London has announced there could be 13 new crossings of the River Thames by 2050.

The population of the capital is expected to increase by 1.5 million in the next 15 years and East London will see the majority of the increase.

There are currently three road crossings and one bus route in the 14 miles between the M25 and Tower Bridge.

The plan will increase the total number of river crossings between Imperial Wharf and Dartford by more than a third, and the number for pedestrian and cyclists by nearly 50%.

Funding for the crossings has not been decided but most are likely to have some sort of tolling regime.

The potential river crossings included in 'Connecting the Capital' and their stages of development are:

  • Diamond Jubilee - a pedestrian and cycle bridge linking Fulham with Battersea - planning permission has been granted

  • Crossrail 2 - a new railway line connecting Hertfordshire and Surrey via central London and providing a new cross river link between Victoria and Clapham Junction, which TfL is currently consulting on

  • Vauxhall, Nine Elms and Battersea - a pedestrian and cycle bridge linking Vauxhall, Nine Elms and Battersea to Pimlico - feasibility

  • Garden Bridge - a new pedestrian crossing linking the South Bank to Temple station - planning permission granted

  • Rotherhithe to Canary Wharf - a pedestrian and cycle bridge - feasibility

  • North Greenwich to the Isle of Dogs - a passenger ferry linking North Greenwich and the Isle of Dogs (Blackwall) - conceptual

  • Silvertown tunnel - a twin bore tunnel connecting Silvertown on the north side to the Blackwall Tunnel Approach on the south side - application for powers to construct under preparation

  • Charlton - a potential passenger ferry crossing linking the Royal Docks and Charlton Riverside - conceptual

  • Crossrail - a new rail line linking Woolwich with Custom House and onward to Canary Wharf, central London and Heathrow Airport - under construction

  • Gallions Reach - a multi-modal crossing linking Thamesmead with Beckton along a safeguarded alignment - consultation started today

  • Barking Riverside to Thamesmead - a London Overground tunnel extension from Barking Riverside to Thamesmead - conceptual

  • Belvedere- a multi-modal crossing connecting Belvedere with Rainham - consultation started today

  • Lower Thames Crossing - new road crossing linking Essex and Kent - being progressed by Highways England for the Government

Proposed East London crossings Credit: TFL

A 2014 consultation revealed Belvedere and Gallions Reach were the preferred areas for East London crossings.

An exact location for the crossings has not been finalised but the Belvedere crossing would link the A2016 Bronze Age Way in Belvedere with the A13 Marsh Way junction in Rainham.

The Gallions Reach crossing would link the A2016 Western Way in Thamesmead with the A1020 Royal Docks Road in the north.

Consultation is now open until February 2016 as to whether a tunnel or bridge is the preferred option.

Each crossing could cost up to £1 billion, although a bridge is likely to be the cheaper option.

A bridge crossing brings its own issues though, as it would have to be low enough to contend with London City Airport and high enough for the river traffic.

Timeline for Gallions Reach and Belvedere river crossings:

  • December 2015 - February 2016:

  • Non-statutory consultation March 2016:

  • Report to outcome of consultation 2017:

  • Agreement to funding. Decision to proceed 2017/18:

  • Statutory consultation 2018:

  • Submit application for the powers needed to build the scheme 2021:

  • Contract award 2025:

  • Estimated completion December 2025.

You can view the proposed crossings on Transport for London's website.