Anyone who uses the pedestrian bridge at Newport Quay to gain access to the Riverside Centre and Quay area from Sea Street, will be aware of work taking place today (Monday).
A special temporary bridge for small vehicles and a large volume of pedestrians is being installed ahead of next week’s Isle of Wight Festival, currently due to remain in place until 27th June 2018.
The bridge was closed to traffic in June 2017 after it was discovered to be unstable. Since then, only pedestrians have been allowed access, with traffic diverted via Fairlee Road.
Temporary bridge organised by the Festival
However, following a period of negotiation between the Isle of Wight council and Solo – who run the Isle of Wight Festival – a special temporary bridge was agreed upon and funded by the Festival.
The bridge will have a 6ft 6ins width restriction and will be used to allow access to Newport Quay from tonight until 27th June.
Hopes for bridge to remain?
OnTheWight understands there is hope that the bridge could remain following the festival period, but negotiations between both parties are still ongoing.
Comments made on the Council’s own Facebook Page questioning whether the weight of articulated lorries using the bridge during last year’s Festival period had an impact of the stability of the bridge. OnTheWight has asked the council whether they carried out any investigations to determine what has made the bridge unsafe.
We’ll update here once we hear back from them.
Image: © Isle of Wight Council
