Mayor abandons Thames garden bridge

of a garden bridge for London have been dashed by Sadiq Khan amid accusations that Boris Johnson and George Osborne have wasted millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money.

The Mayor of London said he could not support the project after it emerged almost £40 million had been spent with nothing to show for it.

Former chancellor Mr Osborne pledged £60 million to get it off the ground, but a series of planning issues caused delays and a report by Labour MP Margaret Hodge recommended the scheme be dropped.

The bridge would have spanned the Thames between Temple and the South Bank.

Mr Khan said: “Under the previous mayor, a considerable amount of London taxpayers’ money has already been spent on the Garden Bridge.”

“There was a £70 million funding gap between the sum pledged and the £130 million needed. I am simply not prepared to risk a situation where the taxpayer has to step in,” he added.