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Bridge 234 was a historic bridge over the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway on the Bourne-Saxby line,^[1] with 3 arches, carrying an unsurfaced country lane, to the west of Bourne. It was demolitioned in 2022, following a dispute lasting over a year over whether it warranted preservation. It had been described as the last significant railway structure in the town.^[2]

The Bourne-Saxby line was built by the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway, who had gained permission to build the line on 24 June 1889.^[3] It was opened in 1893, having taken many years due to the digging of Toft Tunnel,^[3] with passenger trains beginning to run regularly the following year.^[4] The bridge was built around this time (circa 1890) alongside two other bridges,^[5] in order to maintain farm access.^[6] It was built out of locally-made bricks, and had three arches, carrying an unsurfaced country lane.^[7]

As part of Zone 7 of the Elsea Park housing development, in December 2020 the bridge was scheduled for demolition by Bellway Homes, which they described as 'not structurally sound', and in 'poor structural condition'.^[8][9] The Bourne Heritage Group, a local campaign group created by Steve Giullari, began to campaign against the removal of the bridge.^[10] The planning permission was recommended for approval in March 2021, however with 87 people writing against the proposal, and 5 in support.^[11] The bridge was also visited by the local MP Gareth Davies, who noted the poor condition of it, and called for additional measures to be taken to preserve the historic significance of the site.^[12] Jono Brough of the Elsea Park Community Trust stated that the bridge had 'no historical significance', and noted that it was plagued by litter and graffiti, and that it was 'not something the people of Bourne should be proud of'.^[13] The district council planning commitee met on 22 July 2021, where campaigner Steve Giullari called the proposed demolition an ''act of vandalism', and with several councillors voicing their discontent.^[14] In a meeting in August, Steve Giullari suggested that while Bellway Homes claimed the bridge was not structurally safe, he had gained independent advice that suggested otherwise. Paul Fellows, a local councillor and the mayor at the town at the time, stated that the upkeep would likely fall on the Elsea Park Community Trust, but was prevented from speaking his opposition to the preservation of the bridge.^[15] Bellway had refused to attend the meeting.^[16] A petition opposing the demolition had been signed by over 1400 people.^[17]

In September 2021, the South Kesteven District Council planning committee overwhelmingly voted against the demolition, despite legal advice to the contrary (including suggestions that they could face legal action from Bellway),^[2] with Helen Crawford (Bourne West) claiming that they were 'twenty years too late' with the measure, and Phil Dilks (Deeping St James) suggesting that the bridge could be 'quite an attraction' if it had been properly looked after.^[18] In May 2022, the demolition was approved by a Planning Inspector, overruling the previous District Council planning committee decision,^[5] and images of the play area that would replace it were released, the plans for which were developed alongside the Elsea Park Community Trust.^[19] It was demolished the same year, on 2 August 2022.^[20][21]

A play area was built on its site, with bricks reused from it.^[21] A tribute to the bridge was created at Rippingale Railway Station in 2023, incorporating several bricks from it, which had been recovered by Steve Giullari.^[22]