New Royal Victoria Dock Bridge Planning Application

The aim of the new RVDB is to improve pedestrian and cycling connections between new and existing communities in and around Silvertown.

On the northern side, the RVDB will land close to the existing footbridge, near Custom House Station for the DLR and Elizabeth Line, linking Silvertown to central London and beyond. It will also provide step-free access from Silvertown to walking and cycling routes across the Royal Docks.

On the southern side, the new bridge will act as a key gateway to Silvertown. The landing point of the bridge has been designed to be an accessible entrance to Silvertown’s new town centre. From here, users will be able to access routes and destinations throughout Silvertown and easily access the neighbouring communities, such as Britannia Village and Royal Wharf.

Indicative CGI of new RVDB design looking towards Millennium Mills.

The bridge will also act as an additional area of public realm for Silvertown. Along the curves of the bridge, there will be opportunities to linger, relax, and catch your breath on integrated seating and take in the experience and views across the Royal Docks.

The new bridge will not replace the existing platformed footbridge, and improvements to the existing bridge will be made. 

By the time the new bridge is built, both the Elizabeth Line at Custom House Station and the Royal Docks DLR upgrades (including at Pontoon Dock Station) will be completed.

The next page goes into more details about our proposals for the materials and design of the new RVDB as well as our plans for the refurbished Jetty.

The new bridge will accommodate both pedestrians and cyclists and will be step-free with very gradual slopes ensuring universal accessibility. 

As a shared space, the materials of the Royal Victoria Dock Bridge’s (RVDB) deck have been designed to reduce the need for hard borders between users. This includes the use of different textured and paved surfaces to clearly distinguish between pedestrian and cycle space. The result will be an open, aesthetic, and safe space.

High quality materials will also help to create a more visually appealing design. We are exploring various surface materials including pavers, metal, and drainage grates along the edge of the bridge. We will ensure that the surfacing materials are hardwearing, lasting, and safe, to promote inclusive design.

We heard during our consultation that ensuring the bridge is durable and able to withstand the test of time was important to potential users. Respondents from our feedback form also wanted the materials of the bridge to reflect the Royal Docks heritage, including the use of metal and wood. 

As part of our wider plans for Silvertown, we will be re-activating the existing Jetty at the end of Rayleigh Road near Millennium Mills. The re-activated Jetty will be used as a public open space and a key location in the redeveloped Silvertown site.

Part of the existing Jetty will be removed due to its poor condition. The segment of the Jetty to the west of the new RVDB landing will be refurbished, creating a new piece of accessible public realm for Silvertown. Overall, our concept design for the Jetty supports Silvertown’s wider placemaking strategy. 

Our proposals provide ample opportunities for future activation, such as cultural events, art installations, water-based activities and food and drink.

Next Steps

Thank you to everyone who viewed our proposals for the new Royal Victoria Dock Bridge and submitted your feedback. We received an astounding 155 feedback forms from our exhibitions, pop-ups, and online.  

Public consultation surrounding the new Royal Victoria Dock Bridge has now closed and feedback has been incorporated into the final design. 

Feedback was overwhelmingly positive and supportive of the new Royal Victoria Dock Bridge, and most respondents strongly agreed that the new RVDB would improve accessibility (73%) and connections (66%) across the Royal Docks. There were some feedback comments regarding the proposed shape and height of the bridge, and these have been responded to in full in our FAQs, available here.

The new Royal Victoria Dock Bridge Planning Application will be submitted in the coming months. Once the application has been validated, we will provide an update about how to view the application in full and submit your comments to London Borough of Newham.