Surrey County Council has given the go-ahead for the first major road crossing over the River Thames in almost 20 years.
Construction firm Costain confirmed they are to build the new landmark between Walton and Shepperton at a staggering cost of £32.3million.
The Walton bridge is set to replace two existing temporary bridges in the area and is expected to be completed in 2013.
Building bridges: The new bridge (seen here in an artists impression) will be built by construction firm Costain between Walton and Shepperton at a cost of £32.3m
River Thames
There are 214 bridges, more than 20 tunnels, six public ferries and one ford.
The earliest known major crossings of the Thames by the Romans were at London Bridge and Staines Bridge.
The world’s first underwater tunnel was the Thames Tunnel by Marc Brunel built in 1843 and used to carry the East London Line.
The cost will be shared between the government who will contribute around £23.9million and Surrey County Council who will provide a further £8.5million of funding.
The last bridge to be built across the River Thames was the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge in 1991.
When it opened, the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which is 137m (449ft) high and 812m (2,664ft), was Europe's largest cable-supported bridge.
Built alongside two earlier tunnels under the Thames, it is the southbound element of the Dartford Crossing, a road crossing the half mile wide river east of London.
