Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Chiara Giordano

Westminster and Waterloo bridges closed over ‘unattended item’ at South Bank

liz foley/@LizFfoley/Twitter

Police evacuated Waterloo station and closed four bridges in central London while they assessed an “unattended item” on the South Bank.

Westminster Bridge, Waterloo Bridge, and the Hungerford and Golden Jubilee footbridges were all shut off at about 11am on Tuesday.

Waterloo station and the surrounding area was also evacuated, with rail services disrupted between London Bridge and Charing Cross as a result.

Video footage shared on Twitter showed the station sealed off with police tape as crowds of people stood on the opposite side of the road.

Eyewitness Liz Foley said the area along the South Bank between the BFI IMAX cinema and St Thomas’ Hospital had been “completely evacuated”.

"A number of bridges in central London have been closed as a precaution while officers assess an unattended item in the vicinity of South Bank," police initially said on Twitter.

In an update less than half an hour later, police said the item was not suspicious and the cordons would be lifted.

A spokesperson for the force said: “The unattended item has been assessed and was found not to be suspicious.

“Road closures will be lifted imminently. We thank the public for their cooperation.”

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.