Sandfield Swing Bridge, Saul

Sandfield Swing Bridge is a moveable bridge that carries vehicles over the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal near Saul, and swings open from the western bank to allow watercraft to pass through. 

Whilst the bridge is owned by the Canal & River Trust (C&RT), we are responsible for the surface.

What is happening?

We have placed an immediate closure on this bridge due to the unsafe condition of its surface, with the timber deck boards in a degraded state and screws and ironworks exposed.

We have replacement deck boards available that are ready to be installed, however there are underlying structural issues with the bridge that must be resolved by C&RT before we can undertake our works.

Timescales and ecological concerns

By Law, it is illegal to disturb nesting birds and their nests during nesting season, which means that any works on this bridge can not take place during this timeframe.

We are in urgent contact with C&RT concerning their planned works, however at this stage it is likely that we will not be able to start any works until October 2026. This webpage will be updated with more information once it is available.

Update 02/04/2026

As the underlying structural defects have not been repaired, we will now be required to wait for the end of bird nesting season before we can undertake repairs to the bridge decking. This is expected to be in October 2026.

Page updated: 02/04/2026