Repairs to the Sheppey Crossing will take months to complete. National Highways first announced the closure of the busy road bridge on the A249 that links the Isle of Sheppey to the Kent mainland on 22 May, saying it had shut because of a defective joint, reports Kent Online.

The closure caused traffic chaos, with drivers stuck for hours as temperatures soared. Among those stuck were school children returning to the Island, with reports of school buses taking 3.5 hours to get back onto the Island from Sittingbourne. Villagers in Iwade, which became gridlocked due to diverted drivers, were helping to direct traffic where possible.

The bridge defect was identified shortly before 10am during a routine inspection. National Highways said teams have been working over the weekend to assess the condition of the joint and plan “the complex removal” of the defective section.

But they say due to the complexity of the structure, the replacement bridge joint will need to be specially designed and manufactured to fit, which means full repairs are expected to take at least three months.

(Picture: Mapillary)