September news is that the bridge has finally opened to the public again, after many years of being fenced and chained off. (See our July 2023 post here about the renovations.) You can now ascend its dizzying heights to admire a panoramic view of the park. You can also examine in close-up the great job the council and contractors have made in restoring the bridge to its original glory!
(click the images to enlarge)
The final image above is set to become historically important as the view changes with the coming demolition of the large Aylesbury Wendover block. This will reveal the Shard in all its glory, before inevitably being screened by an even larger replacement block!
Update: November 2023
Someone decided the new red tiles on the steps could look more interesting, maybe following an example they’d seen in NYC. The council disagreed however – so it was a short-lived experiment.
My mother, Elsie Hart, of Davey Street, was crossing from St George’s Way to her job at a Bible Factory on the other side, when a V2 rocket hit. The blast blew her back across the length of the bridge and right across St George’s Way. Miraculously she survived. The factory was destroyed.