The bridge, which serves the Hackney Wick and Fish Island areas, had been out of action for at least 18 months. During the closure, local residents and business owners were forced to take long detours to navigate the area. Tom Keel, editor of local publication The Wick, said the closure was a significant problem for anyone living or running a business on Fish Island.
While the bridge has now reopened, the restoration of access has reportedly not been entirely smooth. Keel noted that despite the opening, there is still "quite a lot of walking around to be done" for those in the neighborhood.
The reopening was further complicated by reports of a body discovered near the site shortly after the bridge was made available to the public. Keel mentioned that local residents had discussed the discovery on social media, though official details remains scarce.
The lack of public information regarding the incident has led to local speculation. Keel described the situation as a mystery, noting that the timing of the discovery was particularly poor given the long-awaited return of the bridge service.
"It has been a real problem for anyone doing anything on Fish Island, from running a restaurant to, uh, living."
"The timing couldn't have been worse really, could it, in terms of the opening of the bridge."