David Groocock from the The Keep Ventnor Moving Group shares this latest news. Ed
Keep Ventnor Moving is concerned about slow progress on the Leeson Road works, now in its third week. One borehole has been completed to a depth of 110m, and a second, expected to reach 130m, is underway.
On 6th September 2024, Councillor Phil Jordan (leader of the IW council) announced that the project would continue over weekends to finish within 4-6 weeks, but the council later revised this timeline to ten weeks from the original 12.
Not a 7-day working week
We welcomed the news of the revised timetable. However, it has since been revealed that only one team is working, with breaks every 12 days.
Reportedly, hiring a second team was deemed too expensive.
This is disappointing as it appears economising is being prioritised over the significant impact the road closure is having on Ventnor and Shanklin businesses.
Concerns over the graben
The Group is also concerned about the state of the Graben in Ventnor, which is under strain from increased traffic, including 80 buses daily.
We fear its collapse is imminent.
Keep Ventnor Moving urges the council to expedite the reopening of Leeson Road and to address the Graben, first with temporary reinforcements, and then with a lasting long-term solution to prevent further disruptions in Ventnor.
Image: © Ken Oliver
OnTheWight has been chasing the council leader about this change for a few days and will update readers once we hear back. Ed
