The Kingsferry Bridge between the Isle of Sheppey and Sittingbourne in Kent will once again be closed for repairs during the school half-term in October.

Repairs are scheduled to take place from 22:00 on Friday, 25 October until 05:00 on Sunday, 3 November.

During this time, the ropes that lift the bridge for shipping will be replaced. Network Rail and Kent County Council will implement measures to keep people moving, although people are still advised to change their travel plans to help reduce road congestion.

Lifting ropes in the bridge towers and counterweight ropes that balance the bridge deck when it is raised were replaced in June and July, which caused severe disruption to train services to Sheppey.

However, this new closure is required after scans of the steel ropes found they had degraded.

Plans were in place to replace them in 2026, but the work has been urgently brought forward because of the risk that the ropes could fail requiring the bridge to be close for a much longer period.

Half term has been chosen for the work as there will be less traffic on local roads. To further reduce road congestion, Network Rail and Kent County Council have agreed that the traffic management from the northbound A249 will be temporarily removed.

A free vehicle recovery service will be in place from Cowstead Corner to Bobbing Roundabout, and shuttle buses will be provided for rail passengers, pedestrians, cyclists, 50cc mopeds, and motorbikes.

“There’s never a good time to close the Kingsferry Bridge. It’s vitally important to rail passengers, motorists, pedestrians, cyclists, commercial shipping and leisure boats. The local road network is busy with holiday traffic in summer and school and commuter traffic, as well as road freight the rest of the year. 

David Davidson, Network Rail’s Route Director for Kent