(PCM) So much for the adage true love never dies, as the news has been revealed the historic love locks at Points des Arts bridge are set to be dismantled next week. The Paris City council claims that all the memento locks will be removed citing health and safety concerns that the practice could damage the iconic bridge.
It has been an tradition for couples to celebrate their love by signing a lock and snapping it around the bridge’s metal railing and then together throwing the key into the Seine. The love locks and the Points des Arts bridge is an incredibly popular tourist spot, as it also leads directly to the famous Effiel Tower.
Concern about the bridges safety was raised last summer when one of the bridges metal grilles fell into the river due to all the weight of the locks. The health and safety officials claim that adding any more love locks to the bridge will cause “additional long-term heritage degradation and a risk for visitors’ security”.
The council plans to remove the metal grilles and replace them with “lock-proof” plexiglass in hopes of thwarting any couples looking to continue the love lock tradition. There were also numerous complaints from local residents in Paris who claim that the bridge was an eyesore and they were quickly tiring of the practice.
The deputy mayor of Paris claims that while Paris is the capital of love and they are very proud of that, but there are more beautiful ways of showing that love than placing padlocks on a bridge. He too, claims that the locks are a safety hazard to visitors due to their added weight.
It is estimated that there are nearly 700,000 love locks on the bridge with more being added each day.
