4 0 ▁bridge ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 5 , ▁the ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Transport ▁agreed ▁to ▁fin ance ▁ 6 0   percent ▁of ▁the ▁project ed ▁£ 5 0 3 , 0 0 0 ▁( about ▁£ ▁in ▁) ▁cost ▁of ▁a ▁replacement ▁bridge , ▁and ▁the ▁London ▁County ▁Council ▁approved ▁a ▁new ▁design , ▁by ▁Sir ▁Thomas ▁Pe ir son ▁Frank , ▁for ▁a ▁three - span ▁steel ▁cant ile ver ▁bridge ▁ ▁in ▁width , ▁allowing ▁two ▁lan es ▁of ▁traffic ▁in ▁each ▁direction , ▁and ▁designed ▁to ▁allow ▁w iden ing ▁to ▁ ▁if ▁necessary . ▁The ▁design ▁featured ▁distinct ive ▁low ▁curves , ▁intended ▁to ▁reflect ▁the ▁low ▁river b anks ▁in ▁the ▁area . ▁The ▁design ▁was ▁presented ▁to ▁the ▁Royal ▁Fine ▁Art ▁Commission ▁for ▁appro val , ▁with ▁a ▁covering ▁note ▁stating ▁that ▁" in ▁the ▁design ▁of ▁the ▁bridge ▁a ▁severe ▁simplicity ▁of ▁treatment ▁has ▁been ▁carried ▁out , ▁expressed ▁in ▁a ▁technique ▁essentially ▁related ▁to ▁the ▁material ▁proposed ▁for ▁its ▁construction ". ▁Although ▁the ▁Commission ▁expressed ▁concern ▁that ▁the ▁bridge ▁might ▁be ▁too ▁narrow , ▁the ▁design ▁was ▁approved . ▁The ▁work ▁was ▁put ▁out ▁for ▁tender , ▁with ▁a ▁st ip ulation ▁that ▁all ▁materials ▁used ▁in ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁bridge ▁should ▁be ▁of ▁British ▁origin ▁or ▁manufact ure . ▁ ▁The ▁contract ▁for ▁the ▁new ▁bridge ▁was ▁awarded ▁to ▁Mess rs ▁H ollow ay ▁Brothers ▁( Lond on ), ▁and ▁work ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 7 . ▁A