Questions and Answers

The Illuminated River Foundation is an independent charity set up to lead and fundraise for the project to light up to 14 of central London’s bridges. Apart from an initial investment and start-up from the Olympic Reserve towards the costs of the initial competition of £250,000, it is funded through philanthropic sources. The Illuminated River Foundation will continue to seek the balance from private sources rather than the public purse. All public funding received to date by the Foundation will be offset by a legacy of resources for the Greater London Authority, London Boroughs, and the emergency services to use in their work.

This is an idea originally conceived by Hannah Rothschild and developed by the Rothschild Foundation in partnership with the Mayor of London. It responds to increased interest and engagement with the river over recent years and the lack of a cohesive lighting scheme currently.

The overall project budget equates to an average cost for each bridge of £3m. This includes design, implementation and subsequent maintenance for 10 years to 2029 and VAT costs that are irrecoverable.

To date generous support has been received: £5 million from Lisbet Rausing and Peter Baldwin through the Arcadia Fund, £5 million from The Rothschild Foundation, £500,000 from the City of London Corporation to replace light fittings on London Bridge that were due for renewal, and a generous multi-million pound donation from the Blavatnik Family Foundation. Seed funding of £250,000 was also awarded from the Mayor of London’s Office for the initial competition. The Foundation is committed to raise the remainder of the funds for the project from private and philanthropic sources, with no further public funding being sought.

None of the bridges will ever be closed for corporate or private events as a result of this project. There will be no naming rights or advertising and the bridges will remain open to all 24-7.

The length of the river between those bridges is approximately 4.5 nautical miles.

At this stage, we are focusing on the bridges in central London, but are happy to share learning for any future initiatives.

It is anticipated to be delivered in phases, with the first phase starting in 2019 and a further phase per year up to 2022, depending on funding

We aim to have a positive effect by reducing the amount of direct light into the river from current lighting schemes on the bridges. This direct light can be harmful to fish populations. We will also ensure that bat and bird habitats are respected and create a new, comprehensive database of the location of bat and bird colonies in the area. For example, we now know that there are no bat colonies roosting or feeding on or around the bridges. In order to achieve this we are working closely with the London Wildlife Trust and the Zoological Society of London.

There has been a comprehensive ecological assessment as to the short- and long-term ecological impacts of the proposal, not just from the aquatic side of the scheme but also the terrestrial and aerial aspects. These surveys are highly detailed and exhaustive.

By replacing inefficient metal halides and fluorescents with the latest LEDs we aim to reduce energy-consumption by up to 50% on some of the major bridges. We are also committed to using 100% renewable green energy where we can. Find out more about Illuminated River's our energy usage.

We are only removing and replacing old and inefficient lighting kit from the bridges and therefore will not be piling or creating any invasive physical construction or excavations in the river or around the bridges.

We are working very closely with the Port of London Authority (PLA) and will not interfere with the navigation lighting of the Thames which is essential for the safety of Thames river traffic. The scheme will be mindful not to cause confusion or dazzle the traffic in any way.

We have the support of Historic England and have gained 18 listed building consents. We will work closely with them to respect the historic fabric and character of each bridge, and to ensure that the scheme has no adverse visual or physical impacts. The artwork will subtly enhance and reveal the architectural qualities of the bridges.

The project will provide a major new, free public art installation to be enjoyed by Londoners, commuters and visitors alike. We hope it will encourage people to come into London to visit its many attractions in the centre of town at night. The project will enhance the simple pleasure of strolling over or alongside the bridges at night time and enjoying the spectacle from the river itself. We also aim to be a catalyst for public space improvements to make some of the surrounding riverside areas more attractive and accessible.

The running costs will be lower than they are currently, given the progress in lighting technology, and the plan is to replace inefficient and environmentally unfriendly lighting such as florescent and metal halides that still exist on some bridges.

The project has been developed in consultation and collaboration with public bodies responsible for the bridges and the river and has been designed to support and play a part in the TfL’s River Action Plan and the Port of London Authority’s Thames Vision. We have been working closely with partners such as local councils, the Mayor of London and cultural bodies such as Totally Thames to make sure the project makes a positive contribution to the life of the river and its communities.

Throughout the process, engagement with the public has been of prime importance. We have conducted thorough online consultation, held a public exhibition of the six shortlisted schemes at the Royal Festival Hall, and worked on a special project with schools. We have met with over fifty groups and organisations local to the river and held meetings in community centres along the Thames and we have spoken to a broad range of people, from residents and commuters, to walking groups, mudlarkers and watermen. We have also held a series of on-site ‘perception audits’ with members of the public so that we can understand, respond to and improve their experiences of the bridges and surrounding areas.

Yes, we are working closely with Tideway and proceeding from east to west to avoid any conflict with their construction plans. We are sharing data and looking at ways their new public spaces planned by some of key bridges can work in harmony with this project.