Construction on the current bridge was started in 1822 and it opened on 1 June 1824. The bridge has three
arches, each comprising seven
cast iron segments, and is supported in mid-stream by two granite piers. Built as a road bridge, tolls were originally levied on traffic crossing the bridge. Following protests and a court case,
The Mayor &c. of New Windsor and ano. v Joseph Taylor, which went to
the highest court at the time, these tolls were scrapped in 1897. In the 20th century the bridge carried the
A332, the busy main road between
Slough and Windsor. In 1970, cracks were discovered in some of the cast iron segments, and despite local protests, but with almost equal support, it was decided to close the bridge to all motorised traffic. All such traffic between Windsor and Eton must now travel via the
Queen Elizabeth Bridge on the Royal Windsor Way (formerly the Windsor and Eton relief road) to the west. For those approaching from
Old Windsor or
Runnymede, the
Albert Bridge provides an alternative route via
Datchet's High Street. In 2002 the bridge was refurbished, with repairs to the structure and new parapets including integral lighting. The bridge deck was replaced using
Yorkstone and seating areas provided. The bridge remains in use by pedestrians and cyclists only; it provides an excellent walking route from central Windsor to Eton's High Street, and a good viewing spot for both the river and
Windsor Castle.
Proximity to railway stations About east of the bridge is
Windsor & Eton Riverside railway station, served by
South Western Railway trains to
London Waterloo, while
Windsor & Eton Central railway station, up the hill to the south-west, is served by
Great Western Railway trains to
Slough for connecting services to
London Paddington. == See also ==