emergency closure

Busy Ryde route to undergo major upgrade

Gavin shares details of this latest work on behalf of Island Roads. Ed


Island Roads is to undertake work next month to upgrade a near mile-long section of the main road serving Ryde.

The work to upgrade a section of the A3054 from Eleanors Grove to Arnold Road, Binstead and including Quarr Hill, will be undertaken at night in order to reduce disruption.

Six weekday nights
The work is scheduled to begin on July 5 and last six weekday nights. In order to undertake the work as quickly and as safely as possible, the stretch will be closed between 7.30pm and 6am when a diversion for vehicles will be put in place. Pedestrian access will be retained.

The advertised diversion route for vehicles will be via Wootton, Downend, Arreton, Apse Heath, Lake, Sandown, Brading and Ryde.

Ongoing improvement programme
The work will continue the ongoing 2017 improvement programme that includes some of the busiest stretches of the Island’s roads network. This latest scheme will complete a six-mile stretch between Whippingham and Ryde and the four-mile stretch between the Racecourse roundabout and Ryde that will have been improved under the highways PFI.

So far in the 2017, the programme has included the upgrade of the main road between Parkhurst and Northwood and a two-mile stretch of the Main Road to Yarmouth between Gunville and Shalfleet while on Friday a scheme to improve Blackwater Road between Blackwater Hollow and Shide is scheduled to get underway.

Keeping disruption to a minimum
Island Roads Service director Paul Herbert, said:

“While under the project we are upgrading all types of highway – from the least used to the busiest – at an even pace across the Island, it is the improvement work on the major roads that is probably most visible because of the number of motorists who travel the routes.

“Overnight work is being undertaken to keep disruption to a minimum on these routes. We do appreciate that schemes on major routes will affect a great many road users and businesses and we appreciate the understanding and co-operation we receive while we undertake these essential works to improve our highway network.”