The new 135m pedestrian bridge has opened to the public at Chiswick Park, the business campus home to some of the world’s leading companies.
The new bridge allows faster access to Chiswick Park Underground Station, reducing the walking time to just 4 minutes. Chiswick Park is now served by two direct Underground stations on each side of its Campus: Gunnersbury Station and Chiswick Park Station.
‘Today marks the accomplishment of a twenty years long project. We are very pleased with the final product as the design complements the natural surroundings of the Park. Our footbridge is an extension to our local community and a direct link to Chiswick High Road and all its amenities. Our Guests and local residents have been looking forward to the Grand Opening!’ said Matt Coulson, CEO Chiswick Park Enjoy-Work.
The 220 tonne bridge is formed of three steel arches in earthy tones and hardwood timber deck. The overall design, described by its architects as ‘sustainable, elegant and efficient’, was devised to reduce ongoing maintenance requirements. The bridge is expected to be used by thousands of pedestrians daily.
Construction work began in August 2017 after an agreement was signed between Chiswick Park, the London Borough of Hounslow, the London Borough of Ealing, Network Rail, and Transport for London.
The new footbridge will be welcomed by both the 9,000 workers at the park and local residents and will make a huge difference to their daily routine.
The introduction of the Elizabeth Line as part of Crossrail at Ealing Broadway in December will continue to increase Chiswick Park’s connectivity.
Cllr Steve Curran, Leader of Hounslow Council, formally opened the bridge, he said: “This is a great addition to the park, but is also set to be an essential community asset – improving access between Chiswick Park and Gunnersbury stations for pedestrians. Our manifesto made clear we wanted to deal with issues at Gunnersbury station, and diverting some of the demand to other nearby stations forms an important part of that process. I would like to thank all of the parties involved for sticking with it; it may have taken a long time but it’s been worth it and a good example of the private and public sectors working together for a common goal.”
