The Millennium Bridge is set to receive a refurbishment costing up to £3.5 million, with construction anticipated to commence in the spring.
As indicated in a tender issued by the City of London Corporation, the City Bridge Foundation is seeking a contractor to carry out resurfacing of the bridge deck, repaint the steel components, and re-tension the suspension cables.
This bridge, now 25 years old, is well-known for having closed shortly after its inauguration due to excessive wobbling.
“A spokesperson for the City Bridge Foundation remarked that as the Millennium Bridge celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, the heavy foot traffic it endures daily is bound to have an impact,” they noted.
Opened in June 2000 to commemorate the new millennium, the bridge connects St Paul’s Cathedral to the Tate Modern Gallery across the Thames’ southern bank.
It faced immediate closure due to pronounced swaying, acquiring the moniker the “wobbly bridge,” and underwent stabilisation work before reopening in February 2002.
Now, almost 25 years later, the aluminium deck is showing signs of wear, according to the spokesperson.
“This wear has made the surface smoother and more slippery than before, necessitating prompt action to maintain safety for users,” they explained.
“In the interest of sustainability, we are requesting prospective contractors to remove, clean, and replace the current aluminium deck panels, which will be treated with a non-slip coating.”
The recently closed tender outlined three main objectives: resurfacing the aluminium deck for enhanced slip resistance, repainting the steelwork, and re-tensioning the suspension cables. This last component has not been undertaken previously and aims to restore the shape of the central span following the initial decrease in tension of the cables and abutments.
The tender also emphasised the significance of minimising inconvenience to bridge users during the refurbishment, leaving it to contractors to propose strategies for how they would achieve this goal to the City Bridge Foundation.
The value of the contract is estimated to be between £2.75 million and £3.5 million.
It remains unclear whether temporary closures will be necessary, and further information will be disclosed once a contractor is selected.
