A new wonder of the world to be built in London

GlynD

lostinrates wrote: »

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In terms of need I can understand that London probably does need the super sewer upgrade now.

I would be inclined to agree. The Bazalguette system was never perfect, despite it being much vaunted. It was future proof enough to allow it to function until quite recently without severe modification. It's been coming for a while however and although most Londoners won't notice any change it will be good for them and the environment.

DevilsAdvocate1

kabayiri wrote: »

I can think of a few hundred thousand Geordies who will help carry it down for you

Oh I don't know. I didn't agree with it at first, but it has become an symbol of the north and is often shown when the north is being discussed.

Plenty of people do visit it too - I've even seen coach parties there! I quite like driving past it and would miss it now if it was gone.

chewmylegoff

mayonnaise wrote: »

What was the economic need for the millenium bridge? it also takes minutes to walk between blackfriars and southwark bridge.



Because we can.
You have a very doomy and gloomy outlook on life and society, grizzly.
The Eiffel Tower, the space needle in Seattle, the angel of the north....would not exist if we all had a mindset like yours. None of them have economical sense.
In your world the Sidney opera house would be a concrete cube, the Lloyds building would be another dire tower block.

I'm not sure the fact we built an unnecessary footbridge over the Thames a few years ago a bit further down river is a compelling reason to build another one.

GlynD

DevilsAdvocate1 wrote: »

Oh I don't know. I didn't agree with it at first, but it has become an symbol of the north and is often shown when the north is being discussed.

Plenty of people do visit it too - I've even seen coach parties there! I quite like driving past it and would miss it now if it was gone.

I thought it was a monstrosity when I first saw it but it's grown on me. It was a great landmark when driving south - better when driving north towards home. Why coach parties would want to visit it is beyond me but hey, that's just me. :cool:

paddyrg

I'm in Bath, with one of the few remaining 'things on a bridge' bridges (shops, like the original London Bridge used to have). It's great. I would love to see a garden bridge, it's a lovely idea.

Why a landmark for London? Because London is paying for it. Regions, buy your own bridges. Half the cash has already come from private sources. Get your own private sources for your own projects and then by all means appeal for help with completion funding.

Why London in a time of austerity? Well, it means work for people, that's a good thing. It also helps London remain current, in the news, and attractive for overseas investment. The Olympics was a massive advert, many deals were done during the games, and subsequently. British companies are advising and providing support to the Brazilian Olympic project. It was a good thing. This helps capitalise on that - it'll get global press, it'll become a London landmark, and if it means for instance that tourists stay an extra few hours/half-day that means more money being spent, that means it slowly but surely pays for itself.

As a benefit, Londoners get a new bridge, a new route, and some nice trees to walk through to get to work.

GlynD

paddyrg wrote: »

I'm in Bath, with one of the few remaining 'things on a bridge' bridges (shops, like the original London Bridge used to have). It's great. I would love to see a garden bridge, it's a lovely idea.

Why a landmark for London? Because London is paying for it. Regions, buy your own bridges. Half the cash has already come from private sources. Get your own private sources for your own projects and then by all means appeal for help with completion funding.

Why London in a time of austerity? Well, it means work for people, that's a good thing. It also helps London remain current, in the news, and attractive for overseas investment. The Olympics was a massive advert, many deals were done during the games, and subsequently. British companies are advising and providing support to the Brazilian Olympic project. It was a good thing. This helps capitalise on that - it'll get global press, it'll become a London landmark, and if it means for instance that tourists stay an extra few hours/half-day that means more money being spent, that means it slowly but surely pays for itself.

As a benefit, Londoners get a new bridge, a new route, and some nice trees to walk through to get to work.

I love Bath. Spent many's a great weekend there when I was stationed in Warminster with the army. Lovely place. I know the Pultney Bridge very well. I mean who wouldn't if you've spent time there.

chewmylegoff

paddyrg wrote: »

As a benefit, Londoners get a new bridge, a new route, and some nice trees to walk through to get to work.

Given where it is planned to be located, I don't think many people will be using it to walk to work (apart from the odd person here or there who spends his days covered in silver spray paint pretending to be a robot on the southbank).

padington

Yeah I think it's a beautiful project, and will bring in to the coffers lots more money than it takes to build over the years. Also the timing after the Olympics, quickly, keeping momentum is a very wise move.

Also I think London is a world city, people of every persuasion whether they live there or not get to enjoy it and it's because of its beautiful buildings of the past that gives it this edge and our generation needs to continue to grow it in a way that future generations will thank us for.

It's a bloody great public spirited idea that does give birth to a new notion of how our city's all over the world could and should be more like in the future.

The question shouldn't be why London? , rather why not many more elsewhere?

N1AK

kabayiri wrote: »

One of my primary thoughts as I am crossing a bridge is .... this place needs more trees and shrubs.

One of my primary thoughts when I see narrow minded posts like this is that it's a good job not everyone is as blinkered.

Why not take advantage of the extra open space a bridge can provide to also produce a park, meeting place and social space. Just like when we build sports stadiums we make sure they can be used for concerts.

kabayiri

N1AK wrote: »

One of my primary thoughts when I see narrow minded posts like this is that it's a good job not everyone is as blinkered.

Why not take advantage of the extra open space a bridge can provide to also produce a park, meeting place and social space. Just like when we build sports stadiums we make sure they can be used for concerts.

Yeah , yeah.

We need realists like me to stop dreamers like you spending all our hard earned on frivolous vanity projects.

There are plenty of parks in London if you've got a thing for trees.

'Blinkered' is not realising we have many other pressing needs. Today, I'm spending my time raising much needed money for a hospice. What we could do with just a fraction of this bridge cost...