Albert Bridge has been restored to its original glory today after being shut off to motorists for 22 months.

Motorists have been crossing the Grade-II listed bridge since it opened at 10.30am this morning.

The closure has caused congestion problems from diverted traffic on Battersea Park Road, resulting in months of misery for motorists.

Business along Parkgate Road have also been affected, with one restaurant, Buchan's, even forced to shut down.

The Grade-II listed bridge has been undergoing refurbishment work to ensure it will last well into the century, which is funded by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

Work included replacing the rotting deck timber, installing 10,000 new bolts and 40,000 litres of paint.

Councillor Russell King said the return to normality would be a boost for hard-pressed businesses in the area and would ease traffic.

He said: “The closure has had an undeniable effect on businesses in the area, many of which have suffered a loss of trade. They will be mightily relieved that the disruption is coming to an end.”

Phoebe Machin, a physiotherapist who uses the bridge to get to work said: "I am delighted it is reopening, it is such a beautiful bridge architecturally, it will be good for the businesses in Park Gate Road."