Children from Bobby Moore Academy officially opened a new pedestrian and cycle bridge next to their school connecting Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and Hackney Wick.

The bridge is part of a wider plan to improve connectivity in and around the Park by the London Legacy Development Corporation and improves the routes across the Lea Navigation Canal.  Situated next to Bobby Moore Academy (Primary site) and Stour Road in Hackney Wick, the bridge will eventually be used by people moving into the new neighbourhoods of East Wick and Sweetwater. The transformational project is being delivered by 50:50 joint venture partners, Places for People and Balfour Beatty Investments, creating a new, diverse and vibrant neighbourhood in East London and 1,500 new homes for the community.

Paul Brickell, Executive Director of Regeneration and Community Partnerships at the London Legacy Development Corporation, said:

“The new bridge will make it easier for local residents to get to schools, health centres and jobs being created on the Park as well as the amazing parkland and venues. With a new pedestrian, bus and cycle bridge still to open later this year, the new connections will help deliver the Mayor’s Healthy Streets policies by encouraging walking and cycling and creating new routes for public transport.”

Rachel Mardenborough, Head of Primary at Bobby Moore Academy said:

“The children have taken pictures and noted progress of the bridge since last year. They have watched the diggers and big cranes with excitement and the teachers have even used the construction of the bridge as a learning opportunity for the children. They are very proud to be the first cohort to walk the bridge and will remember this moment for years to come.”

The 36 metre-long, 160 tonne bridge was lifted as one piece by a 1,000 tonne super-lift mobile crane in January 2019.