London's 'wobbly' Millennium Bridge forced to shut for urgent repairs
The Millennium Bridge - also known as the "Wobbly Bridge" - is to be closed for three weeks
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The Millennium Bridge - also known as the "Wobbly Bridge" - is to be closed for three weeks for urgent repair work.
Maintenance work will be carried out on the bridge, which runs across the River Thames, its owners have announced.
The bridge will be closed from 8am Saturday, October 14, to allow time for the replacement work to take place.
It is due to reopen on Sunday, November 5 or sooner if the work is finished early.
The bridge will be closed from 8am Saturday, October 14, to allow time for the replacement work to take place
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Maintenance workers need to urgently replace the degrading synthetic membrane which separates the bridge's steel structure from its aluminium bridge deck.
The bridge, which connects St Paul's Cathedral with the Tate Modern on the south side of the River Thames, is one of five owned and maintained by 900-year-old charity City Bridge Foundation.
The work will be carried out by contractor FM Conway and will continue 24 hours a day.
However officials have warned that it will not generate much noise - with power tools not used between 9pm and 8am.
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Pedestrian diversion routes will be in place, with visitors directed via Southwark Bridge to the east and Blackfriars Bridge to the west.
City Bridge Foundation Chairman Giles Shilson said: “Since it opened to mark the new Millennium, the bridge has become a much loved and very well-used fixture on the London landscape, but it is starting to show its age.
“The separation layer under the bridge deck has started to degrade, which means it’s having an adverse effect on the bridge deck and needs addressing urgently.
“Replacing this layer is a time-consuming process, meaning we have no option but to close the bridge for three weeks and to work round the clock to get it done as quickly as possible.
The work will be carried out by contractor FM Conway and will continue 24 hours a day
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“We’re sorry for any inconvenience but hope people will understand we do need to do this work.
"And will see the benefits after we give the bridge a much-needed deep clean that will leave it looking as good as new.”
The bridge will also receive a deep clean during the closure.
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