Published: Thursday 12 February 2026
Albert bridge is closed to traffic as a precaution; pedestrians and cyclists can cross safely. Kensington and Chelsea Council intends to fully reopen the bridge again to traffic as soon as possible.
Engineers inspecting the bridge
During a routine inspection a council inspector found a cast iron component had cracked at one of the bridge abutments. The bridge is regularly inspected and it was as a result of one these inspections that the fault was discovered.
Council engineers and contracted bridge experts are checking all the similar components to ensure there is not any other damage and establish why the crack has occurred.
Exploratory work will involve pumping water to review submerged components and using ultrasonic technology to scan and review the component parts.
Timeline for repairs
The Council expects to complete this work by Friday 20 February 2026 and be able to provide further information on a timeline for repairs after the results have been analysed, within the next fortnight.
Cllr Johnny Thalassites, lead member for planning and environment, said:
Firstly thank you to motorists for their patience, we know it is frustrating that Albert Bridge is closed to traffic. But we have had to do this to avoid the risk of extra weight causing further damage that could make repair significantly more difficult, more lengthy and more expensive.
We are checking all the similar components to ensure there is not any other damage, and establish why this crack has occurred, so that we can make the best decisions possible and make sure the fixes we deploy are the right ones.
It is our intention to open the bridge fully as soon as possible and we will be able to update on a timeline for repairs in the next fortnight, when initial investigations are complete.
The Trembling Lady
Albert Bridge is designed to move slightly, for example to accommodate a change in temperature or traffic. It was nicknamed "The Trembling Lady" shortly after it opened in 1873. Some movement is expected but the findings of the inspection require a detailed investigation.
A weight restriction has been in place on the bridge since 1884. Since the 1990s this was managed through road layout and more recently, since January 2024, the Council has been enforcing by issuing fixed penalty notices to drivers breaking the three-tonne limit on the bridge.
Bridges in London
The capital’s bridges are managed by a patchwork of owners. Seven are the responsibility of TfL, five by the Bridge House Estates trust and the others by eight individual boroughs, two of which are in Kensington and Chelsea. The London Assembly’s transport committee considered the matter of London’s bridges and river crossings in July 2021. You can see their findings and recommendations in this report.