There's A New Bridge For You To Cross In Central London

By Londonist Last edited 39 months ago

Last Updated 11 August 2021

There's A New Bridge For You To Cross In Central London
Esperance Bridge links Pancras Square and Granary Square © John Sturrock

There's a new pedestrian crossing to try out in central London — Esperance Bridge in King's Cross opened in July, spanning the Regent's Canal at Granary Square and Pancras Square.

Designed by Moxon Architects and Arup (the latter was involved with King's Cross station's stunning roof), Esperance Bridge is a nod to a railway bridge built on the same spot in 1821, to transport coal to the goods yard.

It's a simple, handsome structure made from carbon steel, stretching 25 metres and painted a red oxide hue, reminiscent of the Forth Bridge in Scotland.

The bridge mirrors a Victorian rail bridge that opened on this spot 200 years ago. © Simon Kennedy

Esperance Bridge has been described by Robert Evans, CEO of King's Cross as "one of the final pieces of the public realm jigsaw" in a transformation of the King's Cross area which has seen scores of industrial buildings and landmarks converted for both public and private use, including Coal Drops Yard and Gasholders London.

The bridge's integrated lighting, by Studio-29, is designed to have minimal impact on the canal and local wildlife. © Simon Kennedy

If you're wondering about the bridge's name, it was chosen by local children from King’s Cross Academy, and means 'hope' in French. Clearly they've got some smart primary school children in this part of London.