‘Sad day’ as Joanna Lumley’s Garden Bridge dream ends

Backers of the controversial Garden Bridge proposed by actress Joanna Lumley have conceded defeat and closed down the project.

The plans, which were supported by former London mayor Boris Johnson, were effectively killed off by his Labour successor, Sadiq Khan, in April when he refused to provide guarantees for the costly crossing.

A charity set up to build and run the bridge in the centre of the English capital said the move had forced it to wind up the scheme.

The Garden Bridge Trust said it was a “sad day” for London because the failure to build the bridge sent a “message to the world that we can no longer deliver such exciting projects”.

Chairman Lord Mervyn Davies said: “We are incredibly sad that we have not been able to make the dream of the Garden Bridge a reality and that the mayor does not feel able to continue with the support he initially gave us.

“We had made great progress – obtaining planning permission, satisfying most of our planning conditions and we had raised £70 million of private money towards the project.

“The Garden Bridge would have been a unique place; a beautiful new green space in the heart of London, free to use and open to all, showcasing the best of British talent and innovation.

“It is all the more disappointing because the trust was set up at the request of TfL, the organisation headed up by the mayor, to deliver the project. It is a sad day for London because it is sending out a message to the world that we can no longer deliver such exciting projects.”

Mr Khan said he would not provide support for the plans because it would leave taxpayers in the capital at risk of higher bills. More than £37 million of public money had already been spent on the project.

It followed a damning report by Dame Margaret Hodge that recommended ditching the proposed Thames crossing because it was “difficult to justify further public investment” in the bridge, which was likely to end up costing more than £200 million.

Mr Johnson backed plans for the bridge in 2013 by announcing the transport authority would “help enable” the scheme, which had been put forward by Lumley.

Mr Khan said Londoners would be “very angry” that taxpayers had lost tens of millions on a project that has come to nothing.

He said: “It’s my duty to ensure taxpayers’ money is spent responsibly.

“Following the very serious issues highlighted in Dame Margaret Hodge’s independent review of the bridge – including a funding gap of over £70 million, potentially unlimited costs to London taxpayers to fund the bridge in the future, systemic failings in the procurement process and decisions not being driven by value for money – I could not permit a single penny more of London taxpayers’ money being spent on it.

“I have been clear since before I became mayor that no more London taxpayers’ money should be spent on this project and when I took office I gave the Garden Bridge Trust time to try and address the multiple serious issues with it.

“Londoners will, like me, be very angry that London taxpayers have now lost tens of millions of pounds – committed by the previous mayor on a project that has amounted to nothing.”