London SE1 > News & Features > December 2000

Work begins on Millennium Bridge

Three hundred people are to be invited on to the Millennium Bridge this month as part of the test to see if dampers will reduce the notorious wobble.

Work has already begun on the bridge following a proposed solution by engineers Ove Arup. Part of the deck will be removed to install bracing frames and a mechanical shaker will be placed on the crossing for initial tests before the human crowd test. It is hoped that the results will back up Arup's computer simulations.

"Finding a way of controlling excessive movement on the bridge is only the first step towards re-opening" says Southwark Council leader Stephanie Elsy. "There are many other issues that also still need to be resolved. Crucially, we need to agree who pays for the remedial works should the tests be successful."

A summary of Arup's interim report is available at www.arup.com/millenniumbridge