Thames Gateway Bridge

A new bridge with 2 lanes in each direction for private vehicles, a cycle/footway and two public transport lanes, from Beckton across the Thames to Thamesmead.

The bridge will connect the A406 North Circular at its A13 Alfreds Way junction, to the A2016 Western Way in Thamesmead. An original plan to continue to the A2 has been rejected on environmental grounds, since it would heavily damage Oxleas Wood.

The public transport lanes will both be on the western side of the bridge. Initially they will be for buses but could later be used for trams or the DLR.

A toll will be charged on the bridge to fund its costs; it will be £1 for local residents (Newham and Greenwich boroughs) and £2 for everyone else.

The initial bus lanes will connect in the north to Woolwich Manor Way in Beckton, using an existing bridge over Royal Docks Road (Multimap / Google Map). Buses would be able to come off the bridge here and serve the Beckton area.

To the south, buses would come off the bridge in a newly-built area of Thamesmead, linking into Hill View Road (to the west) and Barnview Road (to the east) (see Multimap map), enabling through operation with Greenwich Waterfront Transit.

Two northern accesses and one southern access provide a route onto the bridge. In the north, the A406 North Circular would extend directly onto the approach for the bridge, which would be on a new alignment taking over the Royal Docks Road. The current northernmost section of the Royal Docks Road would become the northbound exit slip from the bridge approach road to the A13 roundabout, although traffic would still be able to travel south as far as Claps Gate Lane / Eric Clarke Lane to reach the retail parks (see a map of the area).

The Royal Docks Road would feed into a new grade-separated junction at Winsor Park. Where the dual carriageway currently ends would be a roundabout with slip roads to both the northbound and southbound bridge approach road, which would pass overhead. The roundabout would also provide access via Armada Way to the shopping park to the east.

To the south, a grade-separated junction would feed bridge traffic directly to/from Eastern Way, with slip roads providing access to a roundabout for Central Way and Western Way (see location).

John Elliott from the Thames Gateway Forum told the Thames Gateway Bridge public inquiry that the bridge did not fit into the London Plan and will unbalance policy for the east of London by increasing road traffic and pollution.

The public inquiry into the Thames Gateway Bridge is now hearing representations from those opposed to the construction of the Thames Gateway Bridge. The opposition believe that TfL's traffic predictions are wrong and that the bridge will create high levels of new traffic on adjoining roads either side of the river.

According to evidence presented by Transport for London for its public inquiry, the Thames Gateway Bridge will help generate 35,000 new jobs in the area, as well as supporting a population increase.

The opposition to the Thames Gateway Bridge will be presenting a report from the University of the West of England to the public inquiry which shows that traffic in southeast and east London will increase dramatically beyond current growth levels if the Thames Gateway Bridge is built.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has announced that opponents of the Thames Gateway Bridge will now have until August 16 to gather their evidence against the scheme.

Campaigners against the Thames Gateway Bridge in east London are petitioning the public inquiry inspector to delay the inquiry, saying that TfL caused confusion and have not given residents enough time to lodge their objections.

The Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, announced a public inquiry into the Thames Gateway Bridge proposals, which could delay its construction by a year. The announcement pleased environmental groups.

A meeting between protestors against the Thames Gateway Bridge and local councillors was held on Saturday, with protestors raising concerns over the consultation process used in justifying approval for the bridge.

Greenwich and Newham councils have given approval to the planning application for the Thames Gateway Bridge in east London, in return for assurance that locals will pay lower tolls (£1) than anyone else (£2).

Greenwich Council has been forced to delay its approval of the Thames Gateway Bridge in order to consider two last-minute objections, raised by the Environment Agency (EA) and by London City Airport (LCY). The EA is concerned over loss of wild habitats, whilst LCY are worried about safety issues to do with the bridge and its interference in airport operations.

Greenwich Council wants the Thames Gateway Bridge proposal to concentrate more on public transport. Bus lanes are already proposed for the bridge but the council has concerns that in order to access these lanes, buses will have to use minor residental roads.

Some concerns have been raised over the siting of the proposed Thames Gateway Bridge, as it will be in the line of sight of pilots landing planes at London City Airport.

Environmental group Friends of the Earth have accused Transport for London's environmental study into the impacts of the Thames Gateway bridge of downplaying the negative impacts of the bridge, saying that it will be congested from day one and will not necessarily improve transport in the area or access to jobs.

TfL will submit its planning application for the Thames Gateway Bridge on Thursday. Plans have been revised following consultation, to include a 40mph speed limit and priority for local traffic.

Central government funding for the Thames Gateway Bridge was earmarked yesterday in the chancellor's triennial Spending Review. The bridge has a total estimated cost of £383m; the remaining cost will be met by Transport for London and through tolls.

Friends of the Earth criticised TfL's approval for the new Thames Gateway Bridge, saying that it would increase traffic and pollution and that a full environmental impact study had not been carried out.

The TfL board will approve the £383m six-lane Thames Gateway bridge today, with completion expected by 2014.