Common Sense Prevails - The Garden Bridge is cancelled

The dead bridge - the end of afinancial disaster

Back in 2015, I wrote a blog entitled The Garden Bridge - The mother of all vanity projects. An amazing thing happened, Brian Coleman, my political arch enemy tweeted that he agreed with me! Coleman would not say such a thing lightly. But both he and I recognised that the project was a complete waste of money, didn't solve any issues and was likely to be a money pit for decades. The officially quoted price was £175 million. Apparently it's cost nearly £50 million without the construction even starting. Based on this, I'd estimate that it would probably cost four times this amount.

I've run a successful business for 38 years. I have a few simple rules. The first is that I never spend any money on things which there is no good business case for. The second is that I have a list of priorities and I spend money on the most important and all the nice to haves have to wait. I regularly ask my staff what we could do to make things better in the business. A few years ago one said "why don't we get energy saving bulbs?" This was a simple suggestion that saved money, so we did it. Another one said "why don't we replace all the amps in the studios with top of the range new models". I thought about this. Yes, the amps would look nice, but it would cost tens of thousands of pounds and would it ever bring that back. So I did a questionairre for our customers. I asked about various things. Not one mentioned that they'd like top of the range amps in the studios. Most guitarists want something simple to use. Those that have special requirements, bring their own. Most players these days use effects pedals. In short, there was no business case. The customers actually said that they'd prefer better bathroom facilities, so this was what we did.

How many Londoners think the garden bridge was the best way to spend hundreds of millions of quid? I don't know any. Sure Joanna Lumley and a bunch of luvvies think it would be wonderful, but it doesn't solve any problems and will create quite a few. London already has great parks. I was discussing this with someone who said "Well what would you spend the money on". My answer? Nothing. Why is there this idea that you have to spend money. If someone comes up and says "I've got a great idea that will cost £175 million, will cut congestion in London, won't put a burden on the taxpayer for decades and will give a payback", I'd be all for it, but just trying to dream up projects to spend the dosh on is ridiculous.

When it comes to river crossings, there is a case for a new one in East London. One which cars can use. There is a case for crossrail 2, which will transport commuters. There is a case for the Brent Cross Light railway, which will improve commuting and reduce congestion in our neck of the woods. But all of these need proper business cases and justifications. They all need proper scrutiny. They all must be shown to deliver benefits to the tax payer.

The Garden Bridge did none of this. It solved no probems. It added little benefit. The oddest thing is that a Tory Mayor was its arch supporter. As far as I am concerned it is more abut his ego than anything. The only mistake Sadiq Khan made was not cancelling it on day 1.  It's just a shame that we've flushed nearly £50 million quid down the bog to achieve nothing.

The Garden Bridge - The mother of all vanity projects

Blackfriars Rail Bridge - A proper bridge

There are a few things you probably didn't know about me. I guess two of these things are that I love gardens and I love bridges. I love gardens so much, I even made a pop video about my one (and here's a shameless plug for my bands gig at the Midland Hotel in Hendon on Saturday, Free Entry) when I was learning how to use video editing software, using an out take track that I'd co written. As for bridges, being a keen fan of architecture I find bridges fascinating. London has some of my favourite, I particularly like Blackfriars Rail Bridge. There is not a bridge in the world with a finer view, it is green with solar panels to power it and it is functional. I also rather like Tower Bridge. It is quirky, iconinc and does a very useful job. It is a symbol of London. I always get a thrill walking over it and love any film with a car chase where they jump the opening bridge.

If you walk down the South Bank of an evening, many of the Bridges are illuminated and look terrific. I particularly like the view of Southwark Bridge from the Anchor Pub in Park Street, with St Pauls as its backdrop, I'd urge any of you to stop for a pint to appreciate it!

So you may think I'd love Boris's latest bonkers idea, "The Garden Bridge". You would be completely wrong. Since Boris secured a second term and decided to become Tory leader on the back of his two stunning victories as Mayor, he's dumped the idea of being a sensible Tory Mayor and has set about transforming himself into Pharoah Boris, trying to leave as many monuments to himself as possible, from a few nicely painted painted lamp posts in North Finchley (courtesy of a £1,4 million Boris fund grant) to the mother of all vanity projects, the £175 Million Bridge. 

How anyone, least of all a Tory Mayor, can justify spending £175 million on this at a time when we are all suffering from austerity, when we can't 'afford' after school services for disabled children and we are imposing huge cuts on welfare for the poorest people in the country. What I find even more odd is that one of Boris first acts was to can the Thames Gateway Bridge. This bridge had a sensible business case and served an identified economic need. It would bring cost justified benefits and would generate economic activity that would more than offset its cost.

The Boris Garden Bridge serves no useful purpose at all. London already has many fine parks. Putting one in the middle of the Thames at huge expense is crazy. It seems that groups of more than 8 people will not be able to use it and it will be closed between midnight and 6am. It will obscure some of the best views of St Pauls from the South Bank and will cost £3.5 million a year for ever. The plans state that it will be used for 12 events a year. I for one cannot see the logic in making London even more congested and delivering nothing. 

As I said, I love Bridges, but as an engineer, the thing I love most about them is that they are functional. A bridge in London that can't carry cars, can't take bikes, groups of more than 8 people can't cross and which is shut between midnight and 6am is anything but functional. The fact that there are so many things in London which sorely need £175 capital investment and £3.5 million a year for ever, that would make a difference, surely is a no brainer even for the most lovestruck of the Boris groupies.

If you want to see fantastic gardens, I'd recommend Kew Gardens. If you want to see fine Bridges walk down the South Bank. Both of these you can already do for free.  Why on earth anyone wants to spend £175 on a useless eyesore is beyond me. I suspect Boris sees a few votes in luvvy endorsements from the likes of Joanna Lumley. Personally I think that most Londoners see the bridge for exactly what it is. A monolith to the golden haired one, paid for by his loyal subjects.