Leamouth Lifting Footbridge

51°30′51″N 0°00′24″E / 51.5142°N 0.0068°E / 51.5142; 0.0068

North abutment of the Leamouth Lifting Footbridge, with lifting pistons visible

The Leamouth Lifting Footbridge[1] or Leamouth North Bridge[2] is a steel lifting arch bridge for pedestrians over Bow Creek, the estuary of the River Lea. It connects Leamouth in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets to Canning Town in the London Borough of Newham.

History

Leaside Regeneration set up a design competition, which was won by Whitbybird in or before 2004. The bridge was budgeted at £3.5M and would have a 45m mast, that tilted and lowered the bridge at the north side of the river. The bridge was due for completion in 2007, but in 2005 the funding was withdrawn for the Thames Gateway Delivery Unit.[3]

In 2008 SOM designed a new bridge as part of a master plan for the area, and in 2011 it won the planning.[3]

The bridge was ordered by Ballymore Group. Bridge engineering was done by Davies Maguire,[2] with consulting on the mechanical design by Eadon consulting[4]

In August 2014, the pre-fabrigated bridge was lifted into place.[3]

Characteristics

The bridge can rise 4 metres on hydraulic pistons on both bridge ends.[2]

The bridge headway is 5.2m above MHWS when closed, and 9.4m when opened.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b "Bow Creek / River Lea (lower)" (PDF). Port of London Authority.
  2. ^ a b c "Leamouth North Bridge". Davies Maguire. Davies Maguire.
  3. ^ a b c "Leamouth Bridge Competition". LeamouthBridge.com.
  4. ^ "Leamouth Vertical Lift Footbridge". Eadon Consulting.