Social media users vented their frustration as the famous bridge failed to close after allowing a ship to pass through along the River Thames on Saturday afternoon.
Pictures showed queues of motorists and pedestrians waiting for at least an hour from both directions.
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A witness told the PA news agency: “According to the security radios we overheard there are multiple failures.”
Traffic and pedestrians waited for over an hour (Victoria Jones/PA)
City of London Police said engineers rushed to fix the bridge as motorists were urged to find other routes.
The bridge connects the Square Mile financial district to Southwark.
In 2005 police closed the bridge for 10 hours after a technical problem meant the arms could not be lowered.
A London Bridge spokesman has been approached to comment.
