Work is set to begin on an inflatable footbridge that will arch over the Dartford Crossing.
The new development is planned to improve transport links in London and encourage residents and tourists alike to reduce their carbon footprints and walk more.
Seasoned architects have worked together to create the plans so that they are not only safe, but also robust enough to withstand hundreds of people using the bridge at once.
In keeping with the theme of reducing carbon emissions and making a positive impact on the planet, the bridge will be bright blue and green with an earth-like pattern running across it.
This will make the new bridge a selfie hotspot and Instagrammable must-visit for tourists as well as making the journey on the Dartford Crossing all the more exciting for motorists.
The bridge is planned to be almost 3,000 metres in length and 200 metres high, making it the perfect size to tower over the Dartford Crossing, which is 2,872 metres long and 137 metres high.
There will be a conveyor belt of harnesses for footbridge users to clip themselves into before making the journey over the crossing to ensure Londoners are safe and secure as they walk.
Relaxing meditation-style music will play through speakers dotted across the bridge to soothe anyone with a fear of heights and to encourage a wider range of people to use this new transport link.
Goggles and grippy shoes will be available in winter months when ice or snow could pose a potential hazard so that the new footbridge can remain in use.
If and when rain becomes too heavy for pedestrians to walk down the bridge, people will be permitted to slide to the bottom in an orderly fashion.
The bridge is planned to be open to the public by August 2024.
The planned outcomes of the introduction of this bridge are as follows:
- Reduce London’s carbon footprint
- Encourage Londoners to exercise more
- Create a new tourist hotspot
- Improve transport links
Michael Take, of the applicants Pioneering River Aqueduct Networks for Pedestrians (PRANK), said: “We are very excited to be moving forward with this proposal.
“It is an excellent step towards making London greener and we are excited to give people a bird’s eye view of London from above the Dartford Crossing.
“This has been in the works for some time and we are thrilled to finally be able to share it with London.”
…Happy April Fool’s Day!
