Residents’ concerns are being turned into action, with the Isle of Wight Council set to improve 19 roads across the Camp Hill, Albany and Parkhurst Prison estates as part of a major programme of infrastructure upgrades.
The council and the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) previously reached an agreement where parts of the roads, footpaths and drainage networks across the estates were transferred to the Local Authority.
After replacing and modernising the street lighting on the estates, improvements will now be made to 17 of the transferred roads, and two roads that still remain within the ownership of the MoJ, using funding from the MoJ.
Associated footpath and drainage works will also be completed on the estates.
Comprehensive surveys have been required to identify safety defects on the road, and minor works have already been completed on several roads.
Wider repairs will now be completed across 19 roads, addressing concerns from residents surrounding the safety of the roads and improving the estate’s infrastructure.
What the work involves
Improvements include carriageway reconstruction and resurfacing, repairs to the existing highway surface water system, footway maintenance and kerbing where required, upgrades of carriageway markings and various ground works.
Surface maintenance will be carried out to tackle potholes.
Investigations and repairs of surface and sub-surface drainage systems will also be completed where required.
Council-owned roads only
Works are only being completed on roads owned by the council, with the exception of the two main prison access roads. Roads within the estates that remain outside Council ownership are not included within the scope of these works.
Since taking ownership of the roads, the council has routinely inspected all areas from a safety perspective and, where required, appropriate maintenance works have been commissioned.
Contractor appointed
After a tender process, Crown Park has been appointed to complete improvements, which are set to start by the end of the year. A specific start date will be communicated once confirmed.
Garratt: Decades of deterioration
Councillor Andrew Garratt, councillor for Parkhurst and Hunnyhill, said,
“It’s taken a long time and a lot of hard work to get to this point after these roads were transferred from the Ministry of Justice to the council. So I’m delighted that residents on these roads will finally get better roads and pavements, as well as other work to put right decades of deterioration.
“I look forward to working with the council and Crown Park as these much-needed works get under way, to ensure that residents are involved as much as possible in how they are carried out.”
Tyler Frankling, contracts manager for Crownpark Builders, said,
“We are proud to be working alongside the Isle of Wight council on the delivery of these improvements across the estates.
“We understand the importance of these works to the local community and look forward to raising the standards of the road network around the area.”
Michelle Love, director of highways and community protection at the Isle of Wight Council, said,
“This is a major step forward in a project that has required comprehensive safety surveys and deliberation.
“These roads, some of which were built by prisoners in the early 1900s, need to be brought up to standard, and we will address concerns from residents by doing so.
“There at least two deformed parts of the road which will be fully reconstructed during these improvements, as we ensure that drivers can travel around the estate safely.”
Roads being improved
The full list of roads being improved are as follows:
Camp Hill Estate
- High Road
- Old Oak View
- Postern Road
- Crossways
- Quarry View
- Standen Avenue (N)
- Albany View
- Forest End
Albany Estate
- Argyle Road
- Hampshire Crescent (sections)
- Ulster Crescent (sections)
- Sherwood Road (sections)
Parkhurst West Estate
- Nicholson Street
- Lonsdale Avenue
- Rooke Street (sections)
- Miller Close (sections)
Parkhurst East Estate
- Partridge Road
- Hewitt Crescent
- Johnson Road
- Harris Road
- Cookworthy Road
- Woolcombe Road
- Access Road West
- Access Road East (Cookworthy Rd)
News shared by Isle of Wight council press office, in their own words. Ed
