Plans have been revealed to develop a new pedestrian and cycling route across the Thames in London.

An eight-week consultation has now been launched on the proposals to develop a crossing over the Thames between Rotherhithe and Canary Wharf.

Over the past year, Transport for London (TfL) has been working alongside engineering consultants Arcadis and Knight Architects to examine the need for a crossing and to explore different crossing options for the scheme.

A shortlist of three potential options - an enhanced ferry service, a bridge or a tunnel - have been produced, with TfL choosing a navigable bridge as its preferred option

As part of the consultation, TfL is seeking views on the selection of this preferred option and different aspects of a navigable bridge. This includes the specific location of a bridge option, the height that the bridge would be, as well as other considerations such as the overall design and considerations about how a bridge would open for large ships to pass on the river..

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TfL added no final decisions have been taken over the final option and locals are welcome to recommend alternative designs or options as part of the consultation process.

Val Shawcross, Deputy Mayor for Transport, said: "It's great news that we've started the formal process for a new walking and cycling crossing between Rotherhithe and Canary Wharf. This area of east London has seen huge growth in recent years, and our desire for a dedicated crossing for cyclists and pedestrians shows our real commitment to greener forms of transport across London.

"It will provide vital new connections to work, shopping and leisure facilities for thousands of local residents and provide a new route for commuters into Canary Wharf. We now want everyone to have their say before we outline further details of how we can make this ambition a reality."

Based on the consultation responses, TfL will determine the most appropriate form of crossing and continue to develop more detailed designs, together with a construction timeline.

Designs for the crossing will then be further consulted on in 2018, allowing local residents, visitors and commuters to comment on the proposed designs before they are completed and submitted as part of any consents application in 2019.

(Image: Transport for London).

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