Britain | London’s bridges

Crossing the Thames

On November 10th a new glass walkway was unveiled in the upper part of Tower Bridge (pictured).

The floor enables visitors to view ships and traffic passing beneath from a height of 42m (140 feet). Proposals for a completely new “garden bridge” a mile upstream also came closer to becoming reality. Plans for the crossing were approved by Lambeth Council, which controls the south side. It now needs sign-off from Westminster Council, which controls the north. The bridge (see artist’s impression below) would be covered in plants and trees. It is designed by Thomas Heatherwick, who made the cauldron for the flame at the 2012 London Olympics and the “seed cathedral” for Britain’s pavilion at the 2010 Shanghai Expo.

This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline "Crossing the Thames"

Bridge over troubled water

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