Bale of Straw Dangles From London’s Millennium Bridge Due to 900-Year-Old Bylaw

People passing by London's famous Millennium Bridge this week might have done a double-take upon seeing a bale of straw hanging from the span. This surprising sight is due to a tradition dating back hundreds of years.

The bale serves as a warning to boats on the River Thames that construction is underway on the underside of the footbridge.

While the bridge opened in the early 2000s and has been around for just over 1% of the time the ancient bylaw has been in place—about 900 years—that rule necessitates the hanging of straw during certain repairs.

The City Bridge Foundation, responsible for five of the bridges in England's capital, closed the Millennium Bridge for three weeks for repairs and cleaning.

Port of London Thames Bylaws states that when work reduces the headroom under a bridge, a bundle of straw "large enough to be conspicuous and by night a white light" must be hung from it.

This temporary addition to the bridge, which runs between the Tate Modern art gallery and St. Paul's Cathedral, sparked curiosity among social media users. One user humorously inquired if the charity maintained an emergency bale for such occasions.

When the bridge first opened, it quickly earned the nickname "wobbly bridge" due to construction issues that caused the bridge deck to sway as pedestrians traversed. These issues were resolved, and the bridge reopened several months later.

Part of the current refurbishment involves replacing the synthetic membrane separating the steel structure and aluminum bridge deck.

“The separation layer under the bridge deck has started to degrade, which means it’s having an adverse effect on the bridge deck and needs addressing urgently," the City Bridge Foundation said in a press release.

“Replacing this layer is a time-consuming process, meaning we have no option but to close the bridge for three weeks and to work round the clock to get it done as quickly as possible."

The CBF also oversees London's iconic Tower Bridge, as well as London, Southwark, and Blackfriars bridges. The organization's origins trace back to 1122.