London has seventeen points where the Thames can be strolled over ranging from the fantastically fruity Tower Bridge to the grim functionalism of Wandsworth. Cross River Traffic tells the history of the current crossings (and their predecessors) - why and how they were built as well as incidents that have occurred on them, from ghost stories to terrorist plots, sexual antics to suicides. The book explores the reasons why the crossings are situated where they are and the effect on the communities they link as well as on London as a whole. The bridges stitch the north and south of the river together, and are crucial in making it the unified metropolis of the Victorian era and are aiding the refashioning of London's waterfront in the 21st century. It also answers crucial questions such as why do London's bikers meet on Chelsea Bridge, who was assassinated on Waterloo and how a hairdresser save Hammersmith and a poet the Albert Bridge. Illustrated with stunning photographs of each bridge by a selection of London based photographers, Cross River Traffic is a delightfully digressive and informative history.
