Tower Bridge closure: Anger as cyclists 'brazenly' flout ban while road is shut for repairs

On duty: Traffic cops policing Tower Bridge which is shut for three months for repairs
@CrustyTrafpol
Hatty Collier6 October 2016

Furious pedestrians today told of their anger after spotting cyclists brazenly flouting a riding ban on Tower Bridge while the road is closed for repairs.

Dozens of riders have been seen weaving in and out of pedestrians along the footpath, which remains open, in the days since the road was shut for three months for resurfacing.

Cyclists are allowed to cross the bridge using the pathway if they dismount and walk along with their bikes.

But many pedestrians complained that some riders are flouting the rules and “dangerously” speeding straight across the footpath along the bridge.

Closed for repairs: The bridge will reopen in the new year
TfL

The City of London Corporation said it was working hard with Transport for London and police to make sure cyclists are aware of the alternative route to cross the river and the need to dismount if they wish to use the bridge.

A financial services worker, who asked not to be named, said she saw four cyclists riding straight across the bridge in the space of several minutes as she walked to work on Monday with one even telling her to “get out of the way”.

The 56-year-old told the Standard: “There are clear signs telling them to dismount. It’s really very busy with human traffic.

“One woman on a bike actually told me to get out of her way as she was cycling towards me.

“There is no-one there enforcing the rules. It is a risk as it’s really busy in the mornings and at rush hour time. Somebody is going to get hurt.

Tower Bridge closure October 2016

1/6

“Of course there are cyclists following the rules and dismounting but there are many that are not.”

Labour’s City and East London Assembly Member Unmesh Desai said he had spotted riders weaving in and out of vulnerable pedestrians on the bridge.

He said: “It’s really important that TfL and the Corporation challenge the minority of cyclists who are not dismounting whilst crossing the pedestrian walkway on Tower Bridge.

“Yesterday, following appeals from concerned constituents, I contacted TfL to request that they take active enforcement measures against those breaking the law.

“I personally witnessed several cyclists weaving in and out between vulnerable pedestrians on the bridge yesterday evening and feel that there is a high risk of a serious accident unless enforcement action is taken.”

Others took to social media to vent their frustration.

One Twitter user wrote: “Still cyclists flying down narrow pavement on Tower Bridge with no enforcement.”

A man, tweeting under the name Gary, said: “Several cyclists riding across “closed Tower Bridge at 6.45am on footpath. Someone is going to get hurt at the blind spots.”

Another person wrote: "Cyclists brazenly riding across the footpath on Tower Bridge while the road is closed."

A City of London Corporation spokesman said: “If cyclists wish to cross Tower Bridge they must dismount for the safety of all users of the walkway.

“We are working closely with Transport for London and the City of London Police in urging cyclists to take the alternative route for cyclists to cross the river.

“Cyclists following the diversion will cross northbound over Southwark Bridge, and southbound over London Bridge.”

A City Police spokesman added: “The City of London Police appreciate that the temporary closure of Tower Bridge will be an inconvenience for many people, and we are continuing to work very closely with Transport for London and the City of London Corporation to make sure the suggested alternative route for cyclists to cross the river is followed.

“The City of London Police will continue to monitor the situation.”

Repairs to the bridge include resurfacing and waterproofing the road and replacing the timber decking underneath that has reached the end of its life.

It will remain shut to traffic until the new year.

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in