Overcoming London’s Barriers

London is quickly running out of easy places to build, leaving remaining sites often divided by physical barriers, such as road or rail, and artificial barriers, such as borough boundaries and ‘red lines’ that delineate estates. The Future of London has launched its Overcoming Barriers Report which looks at innovative and effective approaches to overcoming these barriers.

The report uses Cross River Partnership’s 2002 project as a great example of reframing railways. With support from local authorities, the Single Regeneration Budget, TfL, Network Rail, the Railways Heritage Trust and the London Development Agency, ‘CRP deep-cleaned several railway arches and underpasses near the South Bank and illuminated them with public art and/or lighting, making them more inviting as walking routes. Other arches were turned into retail units.’

Read the report here.