London's Tower Bridge reopens after being stuck for hours

London’s Tower Bridge has reopened to traffic after the famous crossing was stuck open for hours due to a technical problem

Britain Tower Bridge (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

London’s Tower Bridge has reopened to traffic after the famous crossing became stuck open for hours due to a technical problem.

The City of London Corporation, which owns and runs the bridge, said Monday that the bridge was “stuck in a raised position” due to a technical issue. Roads around the bridge, one of the main crossings of the River Thames in central London, were closed Monday afternoon and evening to vehicles and pedestrians.

Traffic returned to normal in the early hours of Tuesday after the crossing reopened.

The bridge, one of London’s most recognized landmarks, was built by the Victorians more than a century ago and first opened in 1894. It was designed to open to allow the many large cargo ships carrying goods such as sugar and tea to pass through. The bridge now lifts around 800 times a year, or around twice a day.

It was previously closed in August last year when a mechanical fault meant it was stuck for more than an hour.