London’s proposed Garden Bridge project looks set to be cancelled after the capital’s Mayor withdrew support for the controversial footbridge scheme linking Temple with the South Bank.

 

Sadiq Khan wrote to the Garden Bridge Trust chairman Lord Mervyn Davies on Friday to inform him that the Greater London Authority will not be providing Mayoral guarantees for the project.

 

The Mayor argued that continuation of the scheme would expose taxpayers to untenable financial risk, both with regard to the bridge’s construction and its operation and maintenance.

 

This comes after a review of public contributions to the Garden Bridge by Dame Margaret Hodge MP raised concerns over the project’s escalating costs and a private investment gap of around £70M.

 

“It appears unlikely that the Trust will succeed in raising the private funds required for the project,” said Sadiq Khan. “I am simply not prepared to risk a situation where the taxpayer has to step in and contribute significant additional amounts to ensure the project is completed.”

 

The project has already used £37.4M of an agreed £60M public contribution. “I have always been clear that not a penny more of taxpayers’ money should be allocated to the project,” the Mayor added.

 

Responding to Sadiq Khan’s announcement Garden Bridge Trust chairman Lord Mervyn Davies said: “We received the Mayor's letter with great regret.

 

“The Garden Bridge Trust was set up at the request of Transport for London and the Department of Transport to deliver the project which had received public money.

 

“We have had enormous support from our funders and are very confident we can raise the remaining funds required. But sadly the Mayor of London has taken a different decision to those in place when the project started.

 

“We will study the contents of the letter in detail before responding formally.”

 

(Photo: Arup)