The new London Garden Bridge over the Thames is being chased by three contractors including one UK-based contractor.


The Garden Bridge Trust has announced they’ve shortlisted UK-based Bam Nuttall, Spansih-based Dragados and Franco-Italian joint venture of Bouygues and Cimolai to bid the bridge.


The bridge has now been given the go ahead by Borish Johnson and it’s now expected that the project will go ahead in the autumn of next year.


The bridge spans 366m over the River Thames connecting Temple on the North Bank and the South Bank, featuring 270 trees and shrubs, climbing plants, hedges and flowers.


The bulk of the £175m bridge and £90m construction project will be paid for via private donations on top of the £60m contribution by Transport for London and the Treasury. So far £110m has been raised.


The Garden bridge Trust will announce the contractor responsible for the construction of the bridge in Spring 2015. The winning contractor will work with Arup which is leading the design process with Heatherwick Studios.


Lord Mervyn Davies, Chairman of the Garden Bridge Trust, said: “Today’s decision is fantastic news.


“As well as being London’s newest and most imaginative green space, the Garden Bridge also brings wider benefits, such as reducing pedestrian journey times, creating a new route that avoids busy roads and providing jobs in construction and operations.”