Leeson Road, between Shanklin and Ventnor, will re-open on Sunday morning (1st December).
The road will be fully opened to all two-way traffic and pedestrians from that date.
This planned re-opening follows the completion of three boreholes and the installation of monitoring equipment [following the catastrophic landslide in December 2023]. The deepest of the boreholes reaches 130 metres.
Monitoring equipment
The monitoring equipment in the boreholes and on the surface of Leeson Road will measure ground movement and water pressure to inform Island Roads and the council of changes that may indicate land movement.
The equipment will continuously monitor the area and in addition there will be weekly site inspections and regular reviews of automated data.
Using the data, Island Roads and the council have agreed on an emergency response plan that will use triggers to indicate low, medium, or high-risk scenarios.
Depending on the risk level, appropriate actions will be taken to ensure public safety. If the road needs to be closed information on the closure will be published on the council’s social media channels and sent to local press as quickly as possible.
Jordan: I would like to thank residents and the business community for their support and patience
Councillor Phil Jordan, council leader and Cabinet member for highways and infrastructure, said,
“We are extremely pleased that the road will be reopened ahead of the Christmas period, and I would like to thank residents and the business community for their support and patience during this work.
“I know how difficult this has been for the community generally and work has not been without problems to overcome, but I am extremely pleased with the outcome.
“The monitoring equipment installed, plus the information we have taken from the boreholes themselves, have confirmed our understanding of the underlying geology and also allowed systems to be put in place that will allow us to monitor the area in detail to provide early warning of any increase in the risks of a future landslip.”
News shared by Isle of Wight council press office, in their own words. Ed
