STREETSCAPE GUIDANCE

HOME
INTRODUCTION
PART A
A vision for London’s streets
PART B
From strategy to delivery
PART C
New measures for new challenges
PART D
Balancing priorities
PART F
Appendix
PART E
Physical design and materials
SECTION 6
Introduction
SECTION 7
High quality footways
SECTION 8
Carriageways
SECTION 9
Crossings
SECTION 10
Kerbside activity
SECTION 11
Footway amenities
SECTION 12
Safety and functionality
SECTION 13
Street environment
SECTION 14
Transport interchanges
Streetscape Guidance
[Part E – Physical design and materials] Crossings 171
9.8 Pedestrian and cycle bridges
Existing
Pedestrian and cycle bridges within central
London cross railway lines, watercourses and
roads and inherently form an important part of
the streetscape by integrating routes within the
walking and cycling networks.
The palette of materials on the bridge structure
itself may differ from the standard palette
set out by Streetscape Guidance, but should
interface cleanly with the street. This can be
achieved through high quality detailing at the
transition point between the street and bridge
structure.
Figure 169: Footway bridges, such as the
Millennium Bridge in central London, provide
important links and can also become
landmarks in their own right if well designed
Figure 170: One of the Golden Jubilee footbridges
Approaches should be clearly signposted
with consistent wayfinding support. Existing
footbridges should be inspected regularly to
identify surface defects and ensure structural
integrity.
Proposed
Proposals for major infrastructure should
demonstrate a clear need for improving
connectivity by identifying wider community,
health and journey time saving benefits.
New layouts should look to support key walking
routes and be sympathetic to the surrounding urban
character in their architecture and material palette.
Where possible any new structure should use
the existing topography to minimise visual
intrusion on the landscape and avoid obstructing
key views. Layouts should allow for stepfree
access and accommodate cyclists where
appropriate with a coherent route.
Materials should satisfy the same design
considerations as footway surfacing materials with
good slip resistance qualities, visual contrast at
steps and changes in gradient and high durability.
Additional information
Department for Transport:
Design Manual for Roads and Bridges, Volume 2,
Part 8
Figure 171: The bright colouring of this bridge
acts as a beacon in the streetscape
Figure 172: Necessary structural elements can
be designed to be beautiful elements in their
own right
Image courtesy of Mark Humphreys