Incident sparks major congestion in central London
Tower Bridge was forced to close on Monday morning after a man scaled the iconic Thames crossing, causing widespread disruption in central London.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that officers were called shortly before 11am after reports that a man had climbed the bridge. Emergency services, including the London Fire Brigade, were swiftly deployed to the scene.
Traffic in the area ground to a halt, with significant congestion stretching from Limehouse along the Highway and affecting the one-way system back to Aldgate. Several bus routes were diverted, worsening delays for commuters.
After more than an hour perched on the structure, the man was brought down safely by specialist officers at approximately 12.20pm.
A met police spokesperson said:
“Officers were called at around 10:50am to reports of a man scaling Tower Bridge.
Emergency services attended, and the bridge was closed to traffic as a precaution.
The man was safely brought down by 12:20pm, and the bridge has since reopened.”
Blackwall tunnel also hit by major disruption
Adding to the chaos, another key Thames crossing—the Blackwall Tunnel—was also shut southbound on Monday morning following a lorry crash at around 8:50am.
The incident caused severe traffic delays, with congestion tailing back for miles. The tunnel has since reopened, but motorists were warned to expect residual delays throughout the day.
Second climbing incident in two days
The Tower Bridge incident comes just a day after another high-profile climbing stunt in central London, where a man was arrested after spending more than 16 hours perched on Big Ben’s clock tower.
On Saturday morning, the protester—barefoot and holding a Palestine flag—climbed the Elizabeth Tower, home to the world-famous Big Ben.
Despite extensive efforts by emergency services to coax him down, the man remained on the tower for over 16 hours, finally descending just after midnight on Sunday.
Images from the scene showed him being lifted to the ground in a cherry picker before being taken into police custody.
A Met Police statement issued shortly after 1am confirmed his arrest, stating:
“The man has now been arrested. This has been a protracted incident due to the specifics of where he was located and the need to ensure the safety of our officers, the individual, and the wider public.
“We worked with multiple agencies, including the London Fire Brigade, and deployed specialist officers to bring the situation to a safe conclusion.
“We remained in close liaison with the Parliamentary Estate throughout, and all affected roads have since reopened.”
More Read
Disruptions and safety concerns
The Met Police and Transport for London (TfL) have urged members of the public to avoid dangerous stunts that put themselves and others at risk.
Monday’s Tower Bridge closure and the Blackwall Tunnel disruption created gridlock across central London, affecting thousands of commuters and businesses.
Meanwhile, security concerns remain high following the Big Ben protest, with authorities reviewing procedures to prevent further unauthorised climbs on key landmarks.
A TfL spokesperson said:
“We understand people’s right to protest, but such incidents create significant disruption for Londoners and put unnecessary strain on emergency services.”
Londoners will no doubt be hoping for quieter days ahead after a weekend and Monday morning filled with transport chaos across the capital.
