Workers on the Millennium Bridge have triggered an ancient by-law of London requiring them to hang a bale of straw underneath to warn river traffic.
The centuries-old by-law in question features in the Port of London Authority’s list of regulations from 2012.
It was triggered after the height of the bridge was reduced due to the presence of dangling engineers, who have been deployed to give a separation layer under the bridge deck a deep clean.
Under the ancient by-law, if the headroom of the bridge is reduced then a bundle of hay must be hung during the day to warn river traffic below.
When the hay was spotted on Twitter, owners the City Bridge Foundation said: “In accordance with ancient tradition (and the Port of London Thames Byelaws) a bundle of straw is dangled from Millennium Bridge to warn shipping of work under the bridge (we’re not making this up, honest).”
The bridge, which links St Paul’s Cathedral in the City of London with the Tate Modern on the south bank of the Thames, has been closed from October 14th to enable round-the-clock work to begin.
A replacement of the synthetic membrane which separates the bridge’s steel structure from its aluminium bridge deck is needed.
The work is being carried out by contractor FM Conway but noise levels are to be limited with power tools not used between 9pm and 8am, according to the owners.
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