A pedestrian and cycle bridge across the Thames into Pimlico is now closer to reality after dozens of potential designs were released this week.

Following an international design competition run by Wandsworth Council, 74 professional teams from across the world have submitted their plans for the bridge, which will run from the new Nine Elms district around Battersea Power Station into Pimlico.

From water flowing from the bridge to intricate artistic designs, architects from around the world have come up with plans for the bridge which will provide a car-free alternative to Vauxhall and Chelsea bridges.

Although some of the biggest names in the architecture and engineering industries have submitted entries, designs are being displayed on an anonymous basis to ensure new talent can compete on a level playing field with established practices.

Londoners are now being asked to have their say and comments will be heard by the competition's jury panel of councillors, engineers and architects, including Graham Stirk from the famous Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners practice based in Hammersmith.

Both Westminster and Wandsworth councils will have to give approval of the £40m final design after basic plans were given the green-light by Wandsworth last July.

Transport for London (TfL) found the crossing would be able to carry 9,000 walkers and the same amount of cyclists each day, taking pressure off the busy Vauxhall gyratory and from the new development being built at Nine Elms.

Leader of Wandsworth Council and jury panel member, Cllr Ravi Govindia, said: “The competition response is testament to the exceptional talent out there. I encourage Londoners to explore these ideas for themselves and to tell us what they think.

“To succeed this bridge must be two things at once: it must be a beautiful piece of architecture and a valuable new transport link. This is what our growing city needs and thanks to this competition we now have more than 70 different approaches to consider.”

The exact position for the bridge has not yet been decided but TfL and the council have two preferred options near the new US embassy in Nine Elms going into either Pimlico Gardens at the bottom of St George’s Square or into the tennis courts in Dolphin Square.

Residents in the area objected to both as they said it would encourage a massive influx of people into the residential area. They said they are worried TfL is only looking at the viewpoint of those connected to the Nine Elms development.

The bridge is part of a £2bn infrastructure package transforming Nine Elms into a new Zone One transport hub, complete with two new Northern Line tube stops.

See the designs at the ROSE Centre, Ascalon Street, Battersea, on Friday (February 27) from 1pm-7pm and Saturday from 10am-6pm.