The shutdown caused massive traffic jams on what was already an exceptionally busy three-day weekend for vacationers heading to and from France.
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A footbridge collapsed Saturday onto the motorway linking London and Britain’s closest ports to continental Europe on one of the busiest days of the year, though remarkably only one person was injured. Medical officials reported his injuries not to be life threatening. The wounded motorcyclist was taken to Tunbridge Wells Hospital.
Photos showed shocked drivers getting out of their cars as long lines of traffic came to a standstill.
The bridge over the M20 in Kent, southeast England, came down after seemingly being hit by a truck, Kent police said.
Paramedics were seen treating one person at the scene, surrounded by rubble and twisted railings.
“The back end of the lorry was in pieces”.
A motorcyclist was hurt when the overhead pedestrian bridge collapsed on Saturday.
Road users are being strongly urged to plan ahead and use alternative routes.
Highways England said that the part of the M20 between junctions two and four will remain closed until at least midday on Sunday, but that delays have now shortened and tailbacks have reduced.
The police say they were called at 12.07pm to a report of a bridge collapse between junction 4 and junction 3 on the M20 London-bound.
‘Police are treating this as a major incident and the M20 has been closed in both directions to allow this incident to be dealt with.
The road has been closed between junctions two and four as recovery work continues near Leybourne. “Traffic will be heavier than usual”.
The man, estimated to be in his 50s, was hospitalized with suspected broken ribs, the South East Coast Ambulance Service said.
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“Officers are in attendance along with Kent Fire and Rescue Service and the ambulance service”.
