Tower
Bridge is one of the iconic symbols of London. Tower Bridge is combined
bascule and suspension bridge built between 1886 and 1894. The bridge
crosses the River Thames close to the Tower of London.
The
bridge was officially opened on 30 June 1894 by The Prince of Wales (the
future King Edward VII), and his wife, The Princess of Wales (Alexandra of
Denmark).
Tower
Bridge is still a busy crossing of the Thames: it is crossed by over 40,000
people (motorists, cyclists and pedestrians) every day. To maintain the
integrity of the structure, the City of London Corporation has
imposed a 20-mile-per-hour (32 km/h) speed restriction, and an 18 tonnes
(20 short tons) weight limit on vehicles using the bridge. A camera system
measures the speed of traffic crossing the bridge, using a number plate recognition
system to send fixed penalty charges to speeding drivers. The
bascules are raised around 1000 times a year. River traffic is now much
reduced, but it still takes priority over road traffic. Today, 24 hours' notice
is required before opening the bridge, and opening times are published in
advance on the bridge's website.
Today,
the Tower Bridge is one of the most visited attractions in London and continues
to be a working bridge to this day. It also provides:
-Glass Floor walkway for a unique
experience of the bridge
-Spectacular panoramic views over the
river
-The “bascule” bridges (which mean
see-saw in French) are lifted to this day on a schedule to allow boats and
barges to pass
-Tower Bridge Exhibition explores the
Bridge’s history and development through time as a fully functioning bridge and
offers a high-level walkway across the two towers.