Designs shortlisted for low-carbon footbridge in UK
One of the five designs will be selected for a bridge over the A127, located close to the Lower Thames Crossing in the UK.
Entries to the contest were judged based on low-carbon material use and construction, as well as good design principles encompassing ease of access and a pleasant crossing experience.
The use of low-carbon construction is legally binding as the project is ‘locking it into its application for planning consent’.
National Highways hosted the competition and says the winning design could form a new footbridge standard that would be replicated across the UK.
The footbridge will tackle congestion on the Dartford Crossing and create a reliable new connection between the north, midlands and ports of south-east England.
Programme Director, Shaun Pidcock, says the low-carbon design is ‘the perfect complement to the scheme’ as the Lower Thames Crossing is green by design.
The shortlisted entries are:
- Arup and Sean Harrington Associates – A two-span bridge with twin haunched glulam girders, with an all-steel central pier and steep reinforced earth embankments for the approaches.
- COWI and Moxon – A slender timber bridge supported on a V-shape stainless steel pier, minimising span lengths for an efficient low-carbon solution.
- Davies Maguire Ltd – A timber bridge with twin haunched girders, an inclined steel prop as the main pier and stone columns for the approach piers.
- Useful Studio Architects and Expedition Engineering – A modular truss bridge designed on the basis of regeneration and circularity, re-using steel materials and adopting an industrial process for repeatability and efficiency.
- Webb Yates Engineers – A prestressed stone bridge, with the internal tendon profile reflected in the treatment of the façade. A modern interpretation of the traditional stone bridge.
The winning design is set to be announced in late Spring 2025. Construction is expected to take six-years, with a target of opening in 2032. The Lower Thames Crossing has extended planning application until 23rd May 2025.
