▁temporary ▁foot bridge ▁that ▁had ▁been ▁used ▁during ▁the ▁re development ▁of ▁Ch else a ▁Bridge ▁between ▁ 1 9 3 5 ▁and ▁ 1 9 3 7 ▁was ▁re - ere cted ▁alongside ▁W and sw orth ▁Bridge , ▁and ▁the ▁existing ▁bridge ▁demol ished . ▁The ▁new ▁bridge ▁was ▁expected ▁to ▁be ▁complete ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 ; ▁however , ▁a ▁short age ▁of ▁steel ▁in ▁the ▁bu il dup ▁to ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War ▁delayed ▁its ▁opening ▁until ▁ 2 5 ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 0 . ▁The ▁steel ▁pan els ▁cl adding ▁the ▁bridge ▁were ▁painted ▁in ▁varying ▁sh ades ▁of ▁blue ▁to ▁cam ou fl age ▁it ▁from ▁German ▁and ▁Italian ▁air ▁ra ids , ▁a ▁colour ▁scheme ▁it ▁retain s ▁today . ▁Although ▁it ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁London ' s ▁bus iest ▁brid ges , ▁carrying ▁over ▁ 5 0 , 0 0 0 ▁vehicles ▁per ▁day , ▁its ▁d rab ▁colour ▁scheme ▁and ▁minimal ist ▁design ▁have ▁led ▁to ▁it ▁being ▁described ▁as ▁" pro bably ▁the ▁least ▁not ew orth y ▁bridge ▁in ▁London ". ▁ ▁Later ▁develop ments ▁ ▁Histor ically , ▁the ▁southern ▁approach ▁roads ▁had ▁been ▁in ▁poor ▁condition ▁and ▁confusing ▁to ▁use . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁the ▁Gre ater ▁London ▁Council ▁built ▁the ▁A 2 1 4 ▁road , ▁a ▁three - lane ▁dual ▁carriage way ▁linking ▁the ▁southern ▁end ▁of ▁W and sw orth ▁Bridge ▁to ▁To oting . ▁At ▁the ▁immediate ▁southern ▁end