Bundle Of Straw Hanging From Tower Bridge

Rachel Holdsworth
By Rachel Holdsworth Last edited 164 months ago
Bundle Of Straw Hanging From Tower Bridge

towerbridge_140710.jpg
Fans of arcane London byelaws in historic places should get to Tower Bridge to see a dangling bundle of straw - a warning to mariners that headroom has been reduced while repainting goes ahead.

Port of London Authority River Byelaws 1978 (as amended) Part 5 requires a bundle of straw "large enough to be conspicious" [sic] to be hung by day from any bridge reduced in span or height. At night they just specify a white light, but that's much less fun. The farm food has also been hanging from other bridges recently (notably Hammersmith and Blackfriars) but they're not quite as photogenic.

Work's going on until November so you've got plenty to time to check it out, and perhaps also note down the dates of overnight bridge closures. Image by Nick Holdstock from the Londonist Flickr pool

Last Updated 14 July 2010