LONDON TRAFFIC

Hokitika Guardian, 21 July 1932, Page 5

LONDON TRAFFIC

LAMBETH BRIDGE

KING’S SPEECH AT OPENING.

(British Official Wireless.)

■ ■ 'RUGBY, July 19. The new > five-span bridge across the Thames at Lambeth was opened today by the King. The bridge is nn extremely graceful structure, built of steel, covered ..with a skin of granite. There' ar e impressive > pylon® topped by lights at' the approaches, and it forms a very' important part in the replanning of London's traffic'* arrangements by the; opening up, of . a new east and west route across the capita], thereby easing , the ' congestion' el-ewhere. The bridge. was designed by Sir Reginald . Blomfield and erected by the firm of -'Borman Long. The actual opening ceremony took a novel. form. After the* King and Queen bad- signed the Council’® records, His Majesty ,: used the pen to make all electric . contact, which caused the barriers across the bridge to ris 6 perpendicularly. Replying to an address the Kliig recalled that since his parents opened the former Lambeth btfdge 53. years ego, great had occurred In th» 'social conditions iof'L London, The , population of.' the .vastu'ftrea called, (Jr-eater: London ;hcd< increased by three millions. Among ,v other momentous

changes < had bean the transformation V of the means o! transport" through the .invention of the motor .car.’iuA- fresh problem' created for.the local authorities by thes e changes; to guide and control the development •of London, to improve its housing and means of communications, and to. raise its 4 standard of. the ever growing amenities of daily

life were described by the King as

tasks of' paramount importance and j complexity f'.-After expressing his per-. ' Bonal interest ip London’s traffic problems, His Majesty said this bridge would remain a monument to the ; skill 'and energy of. th 6 engineers and the : architects and all of the grades of the- workers to. whom he offered his congratulations .on the completion of the great enterprise. ' .'