Tower Bridge was stuck open for over an hour on Saturday evening due to a mechanical fault, causing severe traffic congestion in central London. The bridge's two arms remained at different angles after opening to allow ships to pass on the River Thames, with witnesses reporting they failed to lower simultaneously.
City of London Police confirmed the closure to pedestrians and traffic shortly after 5pm, tweeting that mechanics were working to fix the bridge and advising motorists to find alternative routes. The bridge reopened in both directions just over an hour later, according to a police update.
Social media users shared videos and comments about the incident, with one describing the electro-hydraulic system failure at the combined bascule and suspension bridge as a once-in-a-lifetime event. Another user reported hearing rumours the bridge was stuck while standing beneath it for 15 minutes.
