Urban Design

River

Overview

The River Thames is perhaps London’s most defining feature, acting as a demarcation between north and south London; it conjures up a set of meanings in the imaginary of Londoners. Whilst the river has previously represented a barrier to growth, there is now an opportunity to enhance the utilisation of this natural and iconic resource.

Urban issues

The main infrastructure associated with river services are the piers, which are the stations of the river; providing a waiting area for passengers and the point of access to the service.



A key issue is visibility and accessibility from embankment. The proliferation of private developments right up to the rivers edge has made it difficult to physically access piers, with problems surrounding rights of way.



Interchange with other modes can also be problematic but can be alleviated by clear and effective signage.