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Bartons Point Bridge Replacement

Written by on 6 August 2019

Plans are being put together to replace the damaged bridge between Barton’s Point Coastal Park and the Queenborough Lines.

The bridge was closed by Swale Borough Council in July after damage to the structure was reported.

The council brought in engineers to inspect the bridge and they found the structural damage was too severe to repair the existing structure.

The bridge will be removed after the summer holidays and a replacement will be procured ready for next summer.

Cllr Eddie Thomas, deputy cabinet member for environment at the council, said:

“We’re sorry the bridge is closed, but we want to reassure people it will be replaced.

“You can’t just buy a new bridge off the shelf, so we have to go out to specialist contractors to get designs and prices. This will – unfortunately – take some time, and then we need to get it built and installed, which could be affected by the weather.

“The coastal park remains open – you can still get to the café, play area and camping field via Marine Parade – so I hope this doesn’t put people off visiting.

“It really is a fantastic site, and we’re determined to get the bridge replaced as soon as we can.”

The hardwood iroko bridge has been a favourite crossing into the Coastal Park since it was installed over 25 years ago, and despite some repairs a couple of years ago, it is time for a replacement to be sought.