Sian Berry, the Green Party candidate for Mayor of London, today reiterated her opposition to the Garden Bridge project.
“We are told that Transport for London has reduced the amount of public money it is proposing to throw at this unnecessary vanity project. But they are still paying £10 million towards it from the transport budget, with another £20 million as a loan, with repayment by no means certain, while a further £30 million is also coming from national funds. Nothing in this announcement changes my view that this is a massive waste of public funds.
“Even if it weren’t being built at vast public expense, this project would still be a white elephant. It will span the Thames at a section of the river where there is already the greatest concentration of bridges, so there is no need for a new crossing in this spot. The people behind this scheme know this perfectly well, which is one of the reasons why the so-called Garden Bridge isn’t really a bridge in any real sense of the world. It does not guarantee a right of way for the public, it will be closed between midnight and 6am, and it will never be possible to cycle across it. And of course it’s so narrow that it’s barely a proper garden either.
“In reality, this project will just be another fancy location for corporate entertaining among the wealthiest people in our city. This is underlined by the fact it’s being promoted with showbusiness stars rather than the expert views of transport planners and it would not get a penny from the transport budget – as a grant or a loan – if I were Mayor.
“The greatest opposition to this project has come from the people who know best the needs of the area – the residents of the northern parts of Lambeth and Southwark. I believe in listening to local people, which is why I favour more foot and cycle crossings in the areas where they are desperately needed, such as Rotherhithe and North Greenwich.”