By Isle of Wight Observer
Dear Editor,
There seems to be a complete lack of joined up thinking with the road closure regime operated by Island Roads. It has now taken a significant turn for the worse whilst Elenor’s Grove is closed for eastbound traffic.
The diversionary route for light traffic is over the downs, but this has to pass the bottleneck of the temporary traffic lights at the Hare and Hounds. The temporary traffic lights have been in place since last autumn because the control box for the permanent lights is awaiting replacement. Because of this issue, the phasing of lights extends the queues at this already busy junction; they extend back more than half a mile. Adding the diverted traffic has effectively grid-locked the whole system.
HGVs have to be diverted by a longer route via Arreton, Sandown and Brading, However, Island Roads have closed Brading for several months, so they are now forced to join the other traffic on the diversionary route through Bembridge, ie.narrow roads, which are effectively single track in places.
Does anyone at Island Roads coordinate this? I would be interested to know what the costs to businesses and other services of these uncoordinated closures is, let alone the environmental costs caused by extra carbon emissions.
With additional road closures because of flooding these issues were compounded. Effectively Ryde is cut off from the rest of the Island!
Chris Tagart, Shanklin