England builds a 16-metre footbridge from recycled fishing nets to cut concrete use and maintenance

England's Environment Agency has opened a 16-metre footbridge at Twyford Marina in Yalding, Kent, made from fibre-reinforced polymer recycled from old fishing nets. The 3.5-tonne deck was built in the Netherlands, fitted with handrails in Nottinghamshire, then moved by road and barge to the site. Because the structure is much lighter than a conventional bridge, it needs smaller foundations and less concrete, and it was installed without heavy equipment. The bridge also uses modular blocks that fit together like a Lego system instead of reinforced-concrete retaining walls. That cuts construction waste and on-site labor. The Environment Agency expects the recycled FRP to need less maintenance than traditional materials, though lifecycle performance will be worth tracking. It is a practical example of circular economy thinking in public infrastructure, and it gives discarded fishing nets a second life.