People are being urged not to attach padlocks to two bridges over the River Trent after love locks began reappearing on Wilford Suspension Bridge.
Severn Trent, which owns the bridge, said any new locks would be removed during routine maintenance because an accumulation could damage the structure.
The company removed the love locks from Wilford Suspension Bridge in October 2025 after warning that their combined weight was affecting its structural integrity.
Sam Davison, communications officer at Severn Trent, said the locks had also restricted the passage of wind through the bridge, affecting the pipes carried by the structure.
He said: “Now, we have been noticing that people are starting to place padlocks back on the bridge. We know the bridge is important to the local community, but we are urging the public to stop doing that.”
Signs have been installed reminding bridge users not to attach locks.
A separate warning has been issued for the £18 million Waterside Bridge, which links Trent Basin with the south bank of the river near Lady Bay.
The pedestrian and cycle crossing became Nottingham’s first major new bridge over the Trent for almost 70 years when Waterside Bridge opened to the public in June.
Transport Nottingham said locks placed on the new bridge would be cut off and discarded.
Severn Trent is working with the University of Nottingham, Nottingham Trent University and Nottingham City Council to provide a dedicated alternative near Victoria Embankment.
In June, nine designs for a replacement lovelock installation were unveiled. The proposals, created by architecture students from the two universities, included love trees, ribbon walks, swan-inspired structures and amphitheatre-style spaces.
Public feedback closed on 12 June, after which a judging panel was due to choose the successful design.
Mr Davison asked people to keep hold of their padlocks until the alternative installation is developed, adding that Severn Trent had no choice but to remove locks where they could affect the bridge.
