There’s been some talk over the years about a possible “green bridge” over Woolwich Road – effectively, a park which would run over the A206 between Maryon Park and Barrier Park, the small green space opposite.
There’s an example of how it could look over the Thames, where a green strip crosses the Mile End Road, linking green spaces either side of the A11.
The idea’s been mostly pushed by Greenwich & Woolwich MP Nick Raynsford, who is due to step down next year. Labour candidate Matt Pennycook (who is also councillor for Greenwich West) has picked up the baton and launched a petition to make sure the green bridge gets into Greenwich Council’s Charlton Masterplan, which envisages residential development to the north of the A206.
Here’s why he’s backing the idea…
The concept of a ‘green bridge’ linking Maryon Park to an enlarged Barrier Park and the river beyond has been around for some time. Yet despite a number of supportive references in the Council’s Charlton Riverside Masterplan, there is no guarantee it will be realised.
There is widespread recognition that the busy and fast-moving stretch of the Woolwich Road between the Antigallican and Warspite Road presents a significant barrier to improved connectivity between Charlton and the river, but nothing that requires it to be overcome through the construction of a green bridge.
Yet the case for such a bridge is strong. An attractive green bridge would provide the majority of local residents that live on the southern side of Woolwich Road with a strong, safe, and environmentally beneficial link that would also expand opportunities for the pupils of nearby Windrush Charlton Primary to more easily utilise the beautiful settings of nearby Maryon Park and Maryon Wilson Park.
Securing such a bridge will be a challenge, not least in securing sufficient funding to cover its cost, but it’s clear from the conversations I’ve had with local residents over recent months that the idea is incredibly popular. To bring the idea a step closer to realisation we need to show that it has strong support in the community.
That’s why I’ve launched a petition calling on the Council to do all it can to ensure that a green bridge linking Maryon Wilson Park and an enlarged Barrier Park is built as part of any future development in the area.
I hope you’ll consider signing and supporting the campaign.
Thanks to Matt for writing for us. What do you think of the idea? Share your thoughts below…
The Charlton Champion 
Wow! What a fantastic idea!!
I think the idea is amazing and should definitely be incorporated into the charlton masterplan. I find the process a little odd though. Why is a labour councillor in a majority controlled labour council using a petition? Is he not in effect petitioning his own party? Surely it would easier to get general council support and include it in the plan? Or am I missing something?
Perhaps the people who are monitoring our local car-generated air pollution could begin to look at this site–as well as continuing to track along the lower road to East Greenwich.
I think the no to silvertown pollution map included a monitoring spot by the Windrush school. Not a good result, pollution levels at around twice legal maximum level I seem to remember.