London mayor Sadiq Khan has stalled work on Garden Bridge over costs and concerns that more public money could be required for the project.
Khan’s office is understood to have halted work on the controversial £175m project to look at the agreement before construction work goes ahead, after he promised to support the project on the condition that no extra public money was spent.
The latest problem is said to centre around an enabling project at Temple tube station. TfL’s Finance and Policy Committee had been due to agree to spending £3m of London Underground money on strengthening the station’s roof, to support the weight of the bridge.
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The bridge, which would link Temple station on the north bank of the Thames with the South Bank, is designed by Thomas Heatherwick with a garden and planting by Dan Pearson Studio. Arup is also advising on the tree-like copper-alloy structure as consulting engineer.
The project has been criticised over its cost, ownership and public access. The project was originally championed by Boris Johnson and then supported by London’s new mayor, who argued that cancelling the scheme would cost twice as much as completing it.
However, a Garden Bridge Trust spokesperson insisted that work had not been halted as it had not yet even begun and that the current move was by the mayor’s office to check the detail of the costs agreement to ensure the agreement is robust.
The spokesperson said: “Construction work has not been halted because it has not yet begun. The Garden Bridge Trust is now focusing on all required planning and land matters ahead of starting full construction.
“This includes concluding land deals with Coin Street Community Builders and on the North bank with Westminster City Council. It is hoped these will be concluded by the end of July.
“The Trust is also focusing on discharging the outstanding planning conditions in Lambeth and Westminster, discharging obligations within Section 106 agreements and finalising the sequencing of river works.
“Once all planning and property matters have been resolved the next phase of the London Underground work will commence and construction will begin.”
