The City of London is closing Tower Bridge for three months for structural repair and maintenance works.

Above: Tower Bridge

The works on the bridge will be paid for by the Bridge House Estate, the charitable trust tasked with maintaining five bridges that cross the Thames in the City, and carried out primarily by BAM Nuttall.

Scope of work includes replacement of the decking on the bascules, corrosion prevention and repair, replacement of worn expansion joints and resurfacing of fixed roads and walkways. In addition, the approach viaducts will be re-waterproofed and key mechanical and lift components will be overhauled.

Work will start on 1^st October 2016.

Subject to final design and agreement with the local authorities, the bridge will remain open to pedestrians for all but three weekends of the three months of planned works, during which time it is proposed that a free replacement ferry service be provided.

The viewing gallery along the walkways of the bridge will remain open to visitors for the entirety of the works, and exhibitions will continue as planned.

Every day more than 40,000 people cross over Tower Bridge, including 21,000 vehicles, making it a critical connection in crossing the Thames, the City of London Corporation said. This daily heavy use has had an effect on the timber decking of the bridge, which was last refurbished in the 1970s.

Chris Hayward, chairman of the planning and transport committee, said: “This decision to close Tower Bridge to vehicles has not been taken lightly, and this course of action has been taken after extensive consultation and planning in conjunction with numerous stakeholders.

“We will use this time to repair, refurbish, and upgrade London’s most iconic bridge, which has gone without significant engineering works for more than 35 years.”