By Isle of Wight Observer
Work to stabilise the embankment at St John’s Road, Wroxall, which partially collapsed and caused significant disruption, is due to begin next week.
The IW Council scheme, to be delivered by Island Roads, will involve removing tonnes of unstable earth and building a new retaining wall. The wall will be shaped to improve visibility for road users and passengers using the nearby bus stop. Work is scheduled to start on March 2 and is expected to last eight weeks.
Because of the scale of the project, St John’s Road will be closed 24 hours a day between Appuldurcombe Road and Whiteley Bank for the duration of the works. Redhill Lane will also be closed throughout.
Island Roads hopes to reopen the road under traffic-light control for the Easter Bank Holiday, depending on progress. Access to properties will be maintained at all times.
They will work with local firm DDGA, which has previously delivered specialist schemes including steel netting at Gills Cliff Road and re-decking of the Cement Mills Viaduct on the Cowes-Newport cycle track.
A shuttle bus linking Wroxall and Ventnor during current highway improvement works will continue to run throughout the project.
The road was first closed after tonnes of earth slipped onto the highway in late 2022. Temporary measures were installed in February 2023, and the new scheme will provide a permanent solution.
