Civils contractor Mackley has installed a new 16m-long footbridge made with low-carbon materials over the River Medway for the Environment Agency.
The bridge body and deck were made from fibre-reinforced polymer recycled from old fishing nets.
The ramps on either side of the bridge were in block form and laid by hand, mostly without the use of mortar, similar to Lego bricks.
The 3.5t bridge deck was built in the Netherlands and shipped to Nottinghamshire where handrails were added. It was then hauled by road to Yalding in Kent.
Environment Agency’s navigation manager, Jason Adams, said that “overall”, the bridge will require less maintenance compared to a bridge made of traditional materials.
He added: “The bridge is both light and strong, meaning we could install the structure in a difficult location. With its lighter weight we could also reduce the size of the supporting foundations required, giving a lower carbon footprint.”
The footbridge, which is now open to the public, forms part of the Medway Valley Walk. It provides passage over the river entrance of Twyford Marina to improve boat access to the marina.
