THE contract for a new £100m road bridge over The Swale river is being signed today. The bridge will improve transport links between Sheppey and other parts of North Kent.

Construction work is due to start in the spring and be completed by the summer of 2006.

Roads Minister David Jamieson said: "This is good news for people living and working on Sheppey, for businesses and for motorists.

"The new bridge will provide uninterrupted journeys from the mainland to Sheppey and support future economic and social developments on Sheppey.

The new bridge is a vital component of the A249 Iwade bypass to Queenbrough Improvement Scheme under the contract awarded to Sheppey Route Ltd.

The existing A249 lifting bridge crossing the The Swale often causes long delays to traffic when it is raised to allow shipping through.

A Highways Agency spokesman said: "The new bridge will provide major benefits for commuters in North Kent by reducing congestion and improving journey times on this route."

Sheppey Route Ltd, the DBFO Company set up by Carillion Private Finance, will design, construct, maintain and operate the A249 for 30 years. The DBFO Company will receive payments rom the Highways Agency calculated according to journey reliability and safety of the A249.

The DBFO contract covers the A249 truck road between the Stockbury junction on the M2 and Sheerness Docks - a total length of 17km.

The project includes construction of the 5km A249 Iwade bypass to Queenborough Improvement Scheme which will extend the existing dual carriageway from Iwade to Queenbrough and provide the new high level crossing of The Swale.

Archie Robertson, chief executive of the Highways Agency, said: "This contract marks a further key stage in the successful delivery of this project."