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Today Transport for London (TfL) has released the designs for a permanent memorial that will commemorate transport workers who lost their lives as a result of COVID 19.
The memorial will be created on Braham Street in Aldgate, and the design unveiled today shows a pedestrianised plaza containing a plaque which pays tribute to the people who passed away. There will also be benches that people can sit on to allow for reflection and remembrance, and a cherry blossom tree will be planted to create a connection with the new public garden of blossom trees in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park which was made to commemorate all Londoners who have lost their lives to coronavirus.
Across Transport for London 98 people including taxi and private hire drivers have lost their lives due to CVOID 19. In a statement Andy Byford, Transport Commissioner for London has said "Their tragic loss is devastating for us all, we owe them our gratitude and this memorial will ensure that we never forget them."
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan also paid tribute, saying "I hope that the new permanent memorial in the middle of our city will be a place where those that have lost loved ones will find solace, and be a reminder of the heroic key workers who have made it possible for us to come through the pandemic by keeping our city moving.”
TfL aim to formally unveil the memorial by summer 2022, and will hope to have submitted a planning application to Tower Hamlets Council for the memorial by early next year. Mayor of Tower Hamlets, John Biggs, has said "it's fitting that we remember them with this memorial and my sincere condolences go out to their families".
Further information about the memorial garden can be found here. An artist's sketch of the memorial is below.
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