New Thames River Crossings Good News for Engineers

There are 33 bridges that cross the Thames in Central London, plus tunnels and ferries. Soon these will have the addition of another three means of crossing the river. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has given the go-ahead for three new river crossings in the east of London, which should be good news for structural engineers, quantity surveyors and project managers seeking new challenges.

In fact, infrastructure has shown positive signs since August - especially in London and the east. According to the latest Barbour Report, activity in this area is up 17% on the same time last year.

Some of this will be down to on-going work on Crossrail, including station refurbishments. With the plans for three new river crossings, once approved there will be even more activity within the industry for several years to come.

The Proposed Crossings

The first and most controversial of these is the Silvertown Tunnel. This tunnel is expected to reduce congestion in the nearby Blackwall Tunnel and alleviate traffic jams. However, there is some opposition to these plans from 'green thinkers' as it is likely to cause more air pollution at a time when this subject is already causing health concerns.

One greener idea that Khan is putting into place is a cycle-bus which will use the tunnel and will be available for cyclists and their bikes as an on-demand service.

Another of the crossings will be a cycle and pedestrian bridge from Rotherhithe to Canary Wharf and the third, an extension to the Docklands Light Railway from Gallions Reach to Thamesmead.

Servicing the Growth of East London

Khan commented, "It's no secret that London has long needed more river crossings in the east. With new homes and economic growth across East London, it becomes even more important that we deliver new greener transport links that allow Londoners to cross the river quickly and more easily.

"As we continue to unlock the massive economic potential of East London, we must secure the very best transport infrastructure that improves the quality of life for everyone living and working in the area."

Be in at the Start

As plans for the Silvertown tunnel, planned for completion in 2023, get a six month review starting this month, it is worth keeping an eye on this and the other proposed London infrastructure projects.

Check out opportunities for professional vacancies in engineering, quantity surveying, planners and project managers regularly on our jobs pages and make sure you get your CV over to us in the meantime.

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Steve Thomas
Director - Hong Kong & UK Construction Recruitment Specialist