Pupils and commuters are feeling the benefits of a new footbridge.

The new Teapot Lane bridge opened on Monday, more than two months after the old concrete structure was removed as part of plans to widen the M20 to four lanes under the Smart Motorway scheme.

Crossing the M20, the bridge is a key crossing for pedestrians heading to Aylesford Station, Aylesford Primary School and Aylesford School.

Tanya Kelvie, headteacher at Aylesford School, said: "The last bridge was only at waists height which caused a health ans safety issue for our students walking across with all the lorries going under it, it also shook a lot.

"[Highways England] came up with the idea it should be much taller so students felt safer and to protect from the wind, so I'm pleased to see this bridge is much higher than the last one, it means our students feel safe to cross it."

Kier construction workers had the footbridge in place on Saturday, November 17.

A week of safety checks delayed the bridge's opening, but now it's open and ready to be used, however work on the Smart Motorway scheme will last until 2020.