Tower Bridge: three months of night-time closures planned

The information has been disclosed in a written answer by Mayor of London Boris Johnson to a question tabled by Conservative London Assembly member Richard Tracey.

The London SE1 website has previously pressed both the City of London Corporation and Transport for London – without success – to provide information on the planned works this year.

"Tower Bridge will be closed to traffic at night time only for three months this year," says the Mayor of London.

"This is to allow the City of London, which is responsible for the bridge structure, to continue undertaking statutory painting, structural assessments and repair works suitable to the bridge's listed status.

"Stages one and two of the City of London's works are now complete and involved the painting of the suspension chains and underside of the fixed bridge sections on the south and north side of the Bridge.

"Stages three and four, which involve painting the high level walkways and bascules, are due to commence in April 2010. Stages 3 and 4 are the most disruptive and will involve the closure of Tower Bridge to pedestrians, vehicles and river traffic at certain times. Stage 3 works have been pushed back by TfL to the end of March to ensure that works on Southwark Bridge have finished.

"These works will entail up to 12 weeks of night time only closures. Stage four requires that for a period of the time the bridge remain in a permanent raised and then lowered position to complete the works. TfL is still in discussions with the City of London and Port of London Authority about exactly when and how to complete this phase of work.

"The contractor is currently producing a working methodology to minimise the closure of the Bridge and both TfL and the City of London will scrutinise this to ensure the proposed method and duration of works are justified in terms of the work to be done and alternatives considered."

Work on the repainting of Tower Bridge began in Summer 2008.

• A video and photographic record of the works on the bridge is being maintained at www.thetowerbridge.info