Waterloo Road was cordoned off on Thursday afternoon after a sheet of cladding came loose from the footbridge which links the mainline railway station with Waterloo East.
No-one was hurt when the metal panel dropped from the bridge, next to The Wellington Hotel.
The footbridge dates from the early 1990s as part of the works to prepare for the opening of the Waterloo International Terminal.
The road was closed and buses diverted whilst a structural examination of the bridge was carried out.
For the latest local news and events direct to your inbox every Monday, you need our weekly email newsletter SE1 Direct.