4 0 . ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁its ▁opening ▁it ▁was ▁painted ▁in ▁d ull ▁sh ades ▁of ▁blue ▁as ▁cam ou fl age ▁against ▁air ▁ra ids , ▁a ▁colour ▁scheme ▁it ▁retain s . ▁Although ▁W and sw orth ▁Bridge ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁bus iest ▁brid ges ▁in ▁London , ▁carrying ▁over ▁ 5 0 , 0 0 0 ▁vehicles ▁daily , ▁it ▁has ▁been ▁described ▁as ▁" pro bably ▁the ▁least ▁not ew orth y ▁bridge ▁in ▁London ". ▁ ▁Background ▁Although ▁opposite ▁each ▁other ▁across ▁the ▁River ▁Th ames , ▁Ful ham ▁on ▁the ▁north ▁bank ▁and ▁W and sw orth ▁on ▁the ▁south ▁bank ▁were ▁histor ically ▁isolated ▁from ▁each ▁other ; ▁the ▁nearest ▁crossing ▁points ▁were ▁at ▁Put ney ▁Bridge ▁to ▁the ▁west ▁and ▁B atter se a ▁Bridge ▁to ▁the ▁east , ▁both ▁over ▁a ▁mile ▁from ▁W and sw orth . ▁The ▁fast ▁flow ing ▁but ▁narrow ▁River ▁W and le ▁at ▁W and sw orth ▁was ▁well - s itu ated ▁for ▁driving ▁wat erm ills , ▁leading ▁to ▁the ▁rapid ▁spread ▁of ▁industry ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century . ▁Near by ▁B atter se a ▁Railway ▁Bridge ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 3 , ▁but ▁as ▁the ▁local ▁population ▁grew ▁and ▁London ' s ▁built - up ▁area ▁began ▁to ▁enc ro ach ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century , ▁pressure ▁from ▁local ▁residents ▁and ▁business es ▁for ▁a ▁road ▁bridge ▁to ▁be ▁built ▁increased