London’s Tower Bridge is currently stuck in the upright position, stopping thousands of vehicles and pedestrians crossing the Thames.

It’s being blamed on a “technical issue” and the City of London Corporation said it was “working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible”.

Pictures show both sides of its 76-metre opening in the vertical position – it is normally only lifted to allow ships to pass underneath.

Yeah so tower bridge is broken…. blinding when I need to cross it to get home…. back over London Bridge I go then! pic.twitter.com/isL0dPYcHJ

It was due to open at 13:45 and 14:15 on Monday for the “sailing vessel Tenacious”, according to the bridge’s timetable.

Social media users’ concern was for the traffic problems.

James Macdonald tweeted there were “tailbacks at least as far as New Kent Road /Old Kent Road roundabout”.

City of London Police urged people to avoid the area and Transport for London also advised people to use other routes.

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The iconic Victorian bridge is used by about 40,000 people a day and 21,000 vehicles; and provides a link between the boroughs of Southwark to the south and Tower Hamlets in the north.

It was completed in 1894 and the entire span is about 240m (800ft).

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