Albert Bridge, London

Albert Bridge
Albert Bridge
Coordinates	51°28′56″N 0°10′00″W / 51.4823°N 0.1667°W
Carries	A3031 road
Crosses	River Thames
Locale	Battersea and Chelsea, London
Maintained by	Kensington and Chelsea London Borough Council
Heritage status	Grade II* listed structure
Preceded by	Battersea Bridge
Followed by	Chelsea Bridge
Characteristics
Design	Ordish–Lefeuvre system, subsequently modified to an Ordish–Lefeuvre system / suspension bridge / beam bridge hybrid design
Total length	710 feet (220 m)
Width	41 feet (12 m)
Height	66 feet (20 m)
Longest span	384 feet 9 inches (117.27 m) (before 1973); 185 feet (56 m) (after 1973);
No. of spans	4 (3 before 1973)
Piers in water	6 (4 before 1973)
Clearance below	37 feet 9 inches (11.5 m) at lowest astronomical tide
History
Designer	Rowland Mason Ordish, Joseph Bazalgette
Opened	23 August 1873; 151 years ago
Statistics
Daily traffic	19,821 vehicles (2004)
Location

Albert Bridge is a road bridge over the River Thames in West London. It connects Chelsea on the north bank to Battersea on the south bank.

History

Albert Bridge was designed and built in 1873 as a cable-stayed bridge, it proved to be structurally unsound. Between 1884 and 1887 Sir Joseph Bazalgette added some elements of a suspension bridge. More work was done in 1973. As a result, the bridge today is a hybrid of three different design styles.

Built as a toll bridge, it was unsuccessful. Six years after its opening it was taken into public ownership, and the tolls were lifted. The tollbooths remained in place, and are the only surviving examples of bridge tollbooths in London. Its nickname is 'The Trembling Lady' because of its tendency to vibrate when large numbers of people walked over it. Signs at the entrances warn troops from the nearby Chelsea Barracks to break step while crossing the bridge.

With a roadway only 27 feet (8.2 m) wide, and with serious structural weaknesses, the bridge was ill-equipped to cope with motor traffic. Despite this, Albert Bridge has remained open to vehicles, apart from brief spells for repairs. It is one of only two Thames road bridges in central London which have never been replaced.

The strengthening work did not prevent further decay of the bridge's structure. Strict traffic control limits its use and prolongs its life. It is the least busy Thames road bridge in London except for Southwark Bridge. The bridge's condition continues to get worse as the result of traffic. Also, severe rotting of the timber deck is caused by the urine of dogs using it as a route to nearby Battersea Park.

In 1992 Albert Bridge was rewired and painted in an unusual colour scheme designed to make it easy to see, and avoid being hit by shipping. At night it is lit by 4,000 bulbs, making it one of West London's most striking landmarks.

In June 2012, the bridge was highlighted on the route of Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee Pageant on the Thames.^[2] The Royal Barge launched from the pier at Albert Bridge.^[3]