Living Streets director of policy and communications Stephen Edwards said the move by Transport for London undermines Mayor Sadiq Khan’s objective of reducing private motor usage as development continues on the nearby Silvertown road tunnel.

“The Mayor has made many positive investments in walking and cycling in the capital,” he said. “But walking, cycling and public transport schemes which would help people choose healthier and cleaner ways to travel should be prioritised over those which only stand to worsen life threatening air pollution levels in our city by increasing car use.”

The decision to pause development work on the proposed walking and cycling bridge over the Thames to Rotherhithe was agreed by TfL’s Programmes & Investment Committee on Friday.

TfL’s managing director of surface transport Gareth Powell explained that while a workable bridge scheme was identified, the associated costs were expected to be substantially higher than originally ‎forecast.

“We have done everything possible to explore options for lowering costs to make this project viable and will now focus on an improved fast ferry option, with the valuable work done on the bridge so far enabling its potential development in the longer term.”

Also commenting on the halting of plans for the bridge, cycle campaign group Sustrans’ London director Matt Winfield said: “We are hugely disappointed that the Rotherhithe to Canary Wharf bridge has been cancelled.

“With so much development planned for east London, it is essential that new walking and cycle crossings over the Thames are built so that it is easier for people to reach jobs and services using sustainable, clean modes of transportation.

“Cycling and walking are a vital part of the transport mix but not if we force people to share tunnels with motor traffic.”

(Photograph: Katie Chan and licenced for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence)