Gravesend station will get its first new footbridge since the 1800s this weekend.

It is part of a £19m development which will see a new platform built to allow 12 car trains to stop. Other changes will make the station fully accessible.

However, it means there will be some travel disruption to both rail services and the surrounding roads.

There will be no trains between Northfleet and Higham for the next three Sundays - November 17, November 24 and December 1. Replacement buses will connect services at Ebbsfleet, Strood, Greenhithe (for Bluewater) and Meopham.

Clive Road, Barrack Row and part of Darnley Road will be subject to closures across various dates between now and the New Year. This weekend there will be closures from 8pm on Saturday until 4am on Monday .

The new footbridge, being installed by contractors C Spencer, will have lifts, which will come into use in the New Year.

Fiona Taylor, Network Rail’s route managing director for Kent, said: “This is the first major step in the development at Gravesend, a development which will make a real difference to passengers.

“It’s a difficult job to get something so large into the station and, as a result, we will need to stop trains from running through Gravesend on Sunday, as well as making some minor changes to road traffic in the area.

“We’re sorry for any disruption this may cause. We are confident that passengers will really benefit from the works planned for the station.”

The original footbridge will remain in place for two weeks, before being lifted out on Sunday, December 1. It will be stored and donated to a heritage railway.

Southeastern’s Customer Relations Manager, Alison Nolan said: “The benefit of this project will enable us to run longer trains through Gravesend and the station will be made fully accessible.

"However in order for Network Rail to carry out this major work, we won’t be able to run services through the station over the next three Sundays and for 15 days over the Christmas and New Year period.

"We realise this will be an inconvenience to our customers so we’re providing a range of alternative travel options. Detailed station-by-station travel advice is available on our website and timetables will be delivered to stations shortly.”

The project is due to be finished next March. However major work over the Christmas period will require 15 days of major construction at the station as the track layout is redesigned and the new platform installed.

There will be no trains from Gravesend station from December 22 to January 6. Network Rail is working with train operator Southeastern to minimise the impact this work will have on passengers’ journeys.

As well as this weekend, Clive Road, Barrack Row and part of Darnley Road will be subject to the following closures:

8pm on Saturday, November 30 to 4am on Monday, December 2

8pm on Saturday, December 21 to 8am on Sunday, December 22

8pm on Sunday, January 5 to 8am on Monday, January 6.

For full details and to plan your journey, visit the Southeastern website (southeasternrailway.co.uk).