The Engineers' Report on Waterloo and Charing Cross 'Bridges has
been received by the Prime Minister, and is sure to have a great and perhaps a decisive influence upon the policy of the Government. The Lee Commis- sion proposed to retain Waterloo Bridge, but to widen it so as to take four lines of traffic, and to build a double- deck rail and road bridge across the river at Charing Cross. The engineers, however, think that though Waterloo Bridge can be retained without inconvenience if widened, Charing Cross Station ought to be banished to the south side of the river. They thus revive an old proposal. Waterloo Station would have to be en- larged. The present Charing Cross railway bridge and Hungerford Bridge would be demolished, and their place would be taken by a new road bridge from the Cavell statue to Waterloo Road. This seems to be a better plan than the Lee plan if the engineers are right in believing that the double-deck bridge would cost more than £11,000,000. The engineers estimate the cost of their own scheme, including the work to Waterloo Bridge, at £10,000,000.
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