London’s scariest bridge is back up to its old tricks – freaking out the pedestrians of London.
Have you tried to cross Millennium Bridge in the past few days? If so you’ll have probably been faced with no choice but to take the long route to the south side of the river: Millennium Bridge has had to close on short notice for emergency repairs…
Those words strike the fear of God into us. We remember all too clearly the days of the bridge’s opening. For those of you not too familiar with the bridge’s erm… wobbly… start, but more on that later.
What Happened This Time Around?
Millennium Bridge has been closed in order to perform some essential repairs. Those repairs are part of a ‘separation layer’ beneath the bridge’s deck (the part you walk on). The fact that it’s connected to both the main structure of the bridge and the deck means it needs to be fixed before the bridge can be opened again.
So far the official date for the bridge to be reopened again is the 5th of November, so just in time for fireworks, though word is that if they can get the job done quickly the bridge can open ahead of time.
What’s With the Wobble?
Back in the year 2000 when the bridge was first opened, the bridge was noticed to swing and wobble slightly from side to side. This was not in the design plans. It was very much a design fault.
The bridge closed days after its grand opening and didn’t see any foot traffic until 2002 when the problem was resolved.
Personally, we’ve never completely got over this. We’d rather walk across Blackfriars or Southwark Bridge, even London Bridge if possible.
Millennium Bridge: Practical Information
Where: Thames Embankment, London EC4V 3QH
When: Closed until November 5th
