Prepare to cast your gaze upon the Beckton Link Viaduct a structure often dubbed the ski jump. It is a curious sight.
The Beckton Link Viaduct stands in Beckton. This section of road was built in anticipation of the Thames Gateway Bridge. Today, it leads to a dangerous drop.
Some see the Beckton Link Viaduct as a metaphor.
Let’s delve into the history of river crossings between Thamesmead and Beckton. It’s a story spanning decades. It began with the Ringway suggestion in the 1930s. This evolved into Ringway 2 in the 1960s. Then came the East London River Crossing in the 1980s and 90s. Early this century, the Thames Gateway Bridge was proposed. Now, TfL suggests the Gallions Reach Ferry. The Royal Borough of Greenwich campaigns for a bridge.
David Black’s “The Campaign to Save Oxleas Wood” details the opposition. It covers inquiries and court cases. These went to the UK and Europe. Eventually, in 1995, plans for a motorway through Oxleas Wood and Plumstead were dropped. The East London River Crossing was also scrapped. The Oxleas Nine, local residents, risked financial ruin. They appealed to the High Court against compulsory purchase orders. These orders were needed to build the roads and crossings.
The 2005 Thames Gateway Bridge Public Enquiry documents are no longer online. However, they revealed similar opposition. Local residents worried about air pollution and the risk to Oxleas Wood. Improved road links to the A2 were a concern.
The Beckton ski jump appeared in a car chase in the TV series Bugs. A car drove off its end and exploded in the wasteland below. You can find this scene on YouTube. It starts around 46 minutes in.
Building a bridge here is complicated. London City Airport’s runway limits the bridge’s height. Supporters of east London river crossings point out the disparity in crossings. There are fewer to the east of Tower Bridge. The Thames is wider closer to the sea. Large ships sail up the Thames to central London. They may even go to a Greenwich cruise liner terminal. Bridges need to be wider and higher. This makes them more expensive.
The Thames Gateway Bridge would have required long run-up roads. This would make it pedestrian unfriendly. High winds in the middle would also be an issue.
Changes to road infrastructure should consider the entire network. Increasing capacity in one place simply moves bottlenecks. Improvements should be across multiple sites. Traffic management measures should discourage cars and lorries from using small residential roads.
The East London River Crossings Assessment of Options confirms these concerns. A Gallions Reach bridge would impact roads through Plumstead and Bexley.
The modelling for TGB suggested it would relieve the Blackwall tunnel. It would also open new travel opportunities further east. However, the road network on the southern side is less developed. The road would meet the South Thames Development Route. This is a useful distributor road. However, it has lower capacity. It also has congested junctions in Plumstead, Woolwich, and Erith. Roads south into Bexley are poorer. They are largely two-lane single carriageway roads. Suburban housing fronts these roads. There was strong local opposition to the scheme. The London Borough of Bexley ultimately opposed it.
A ferry at Gallions Reach might be a better option. It would naturally limit capacity. This would reduce traffic heading in that direction. Additional action might encourage traffic along suitable roads. It would also steer it away from smaller roads. Perhaps many smaller crossings would be better. They would avoid massive congestion-generating projects. Keeping the Woolwich Free Ferry and adding a new one may be wise.
What other small east London river crossings are possible? What is the current state of technology for swing bridges?
The Beckton Link Viaduct a road to nowhere for now. It stands as a testament to grand plans. These plans faced opposition and changing priorities. It reminds us of the complexities of urban development.