A pedestrian bridge linking Lower Castle Fields car park to Tonbridge Racecourse Sportsground will be lifted out by crane and dismantled between 21 and 24 July 2026, with part of the car park closed and signed diversions in place throughout.
Walkers who normally use the footbridge at Lower Castle Fields will need to find another way round from Tuesday, as Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council removes the structure for good. The bridge — put in during 1994 as a temporary crossing while Tonbridge Swimming Pool was being built — has been shut to the public since earlier this year, after inspections found it was no longer safe.
Temporary, of course, being a relative term.
A crane will lift it clear before it’s dismantled and carted off for disposal. The operation runs Tuesday 21 July to Friday 24 July 2026. During those four days, the lower section of Lower Castle Fields car park will be shut, cutting the number of available spaces, with exclusion zones on both sides of the bridge and signed pedestrian diversions guiding people around the site.
Anyone needing to reach Tonbridge Racecourse Sportsground from the car park side can still get there. Just not directly. The alternative pedestrian bridge near Tonbridge Swimming Pool stays open throughout and will handle the diverted foot traffic.
Inspections and independent structural assessments found a corroded subframe and movement in the bridge abutments. The council says the risk of immediate collapse is low, but acting now means the structure can still be lifted safely rather than left to rot further. Councillor Des Keers, Cabinet Member for Community Services, said the removal was “necessary to protect the public and users of the river,” and that the council would work with its contractor to complete the job “safely and with as little disruption as possible.”
What comes next is less clear. Once the bridge is out, engineers will inspect the supporting structures more thoroughly and draw up cost estimates. No decision has been taken on whether the crossing will be replaced — any proposal goes back to councillors once the investigations and figures are in.
Key information
- Removal works: Tuesday 21 July to Friday 24 July 2026
- Car park: Lower section of Lower Castle Fields car park closed during works
- Alternative route to Tonbridge Racecourse Sportsground: pedestrian bridge near Tonbridge Swimming Pool
Tonbridge footbridge to be removed next week Quiz
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