Weekend closure to remove section still standing

The coast-bound section of the bridge remains standing like a broken tooth, a stark reminder of how close the county came to tragedy.

That no one was killed despite tonnes of concrete - the equivalent of 14 double-decker buses - raining down on a motorway used that day by millions of drivers is an incidence of unbelievable luck.

Now, all’s that’s left is for Highways England to pick up the pieces.

At 8pm today (Friday) the M20 will be closed in both directions for the entire weekend while this sad remnant is pulled down and work begins on the multimillion pound project to build a new span in its place.

Closures will be in force between J1 and J4.

The diversion route for Londonbound traffic will be across to the M2 via junction 7 for Detling (A249), junction 6 for Maidstone (A229) and finally junction 4 for Leybourne (A228).

Coastbound traffic will be signed around the M25 to use the M2/A2.

All lanes will be closed on the M25 at Junction 5, which serves the M26, and at junction 3 of the M25 for the M20, the fast slip on the M25 plus the M20 and junction 2 of the M26.

Kent County Council’s Public Rights of Way team has closed nearby footpaths until work is completed.

Earlier, Highways England’s chief engineer, Catherine Brookes, said the closure was being timed to reduce disruption.

She said: “We will be demolishing that section of the bridge and replacing the footbridge with a brand new one, but we are content it’s safe to remain and we wanted to get the road open safely as quickly as possible.”

Ms Brookes said the volume of traffic over the Bank Holiday formed part of its decision to leave the remaining section of the bridge standing.