The closure of a major route is to begin tonight.
At 10pm Kingsferry Bridge, which connects the Isle of Sheppey with the mainland, will shut so that 40 steel ropes that lift the bridge can be replaced.
The first phase of work to repair the 64-year-old bridge will involve four sets of closures and rail disruption.
Built by British Rail in 1960 the bridge is used by motorists and pedestrians to travel to the rest of the county and is the only route trains can use to get across The Swale.
The ropes were last replaced almost 30 years ago and are now coming to the end of their operational life.
Recent tests found some of the ropes, which were installed in 1995, have degraded and urgently need replacing.
Network Rail is carrying out the maintenance works and will close the bridge to drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and maritime traffic.
It is the first of a series of closures over the next two months.
The next set of closures will last for nine days from Friday, June 28 to Sunday, July 7.
Further closures will take place from Friday, July 12 until Monday, July 15.
Another nine-day closure will take place from Friday, July 19 to Sunday, July 28.
All closures will start at 10pm on the first day and finish at 5am on the last.
The last trains will depart the Island at about midnight on Fridays when it shuts. First trains will run from approximately 5.43am on the days when the bridge reopens.
During the closures, a regular rail replacement bus service will run between Sheerness, Queenborough, Kemsley and Sittingbourne stations.
Swale station will not be stopped at by these buses because of the lengthy diversion routes to visit the station.
Traffic management will be in place between the times when the bridge is closed.
A single lane of the bridge will be open and controlled by traffic lights.
These measures will be in place until Wednesday, June 12 and then from Monday, June 24 through to Friday, August 2.
Network Rail says it cannot wait for roadworks, such as the Grovehurst Junction Improvements, to be completed.
Earlier this week, bosses at Chalkwell Coach Hire, a bus operator in Swale, warned that the ongoing works at the roundabout junction could cause chaos to its services while Network Rail shuts the Kingsferry Bridge at the same time.
Managing director, Roland Eglinton, explained that the company’s 334 bus, which runs between Sittingbourne and Sheerness, would face an “enormous challenge”.
He said at the time: “With these closures happening at the same time, buses will not be able to travel north from Iwade towards Sheppey, as both routes will be unusable.
“The only alternative will be for buses to loop back to the Bobbing junction before heading north again.
“Not only does this have a massive time penalty for our customers, but the increase in traffic at this point is likely to cause gridlock.”
However, On Friday, June 7, it was announced that the Saturday 334 service has been temporary amended.
From Sittingbourne, buses will operate as far as Sonora Fields, Jacinth Drive. They will then join the main A249 and go directly to Queenborough Morrisons. The opposite will happen on journeys from Sheerness.
This means that the 334 bus will not serve Quinton Road, Sheppey Way and Iwade.
However, there will be a shuttle minibus serving these places at the same times as the 334, connecting with the main bus at the Sonora Fields, Jacinth Drive stop. The shuttle minibus will run from 9.46am at Jacinth Drive, up to the 2.32pm at Iwade.
A timetable can be found here.
A Chalkwell spokesperson added: “Please be aware that we are also dealing with the slip road closures at the Grovehurst junction redevelopment.
“Our staff are trying to provide a service under very challenging circumstances. We appreciate your patience and courtesy.”
