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This open letter to council leader, Phil Jordan, from the group called Keep Ventnor Moving. Ed
Dear Council Leader Phil Jordan
I am writing on behalf of “Keep Ventnor Moving.” We are group of residents and businesses in and around Ventnor who are adversely affected not only by the closure of Leeson Road, but closures throughout Ventnor, such as, but not limited to, Bath Road, Bonchurch Shute, and Lower Gills Cliff Road.
Given the hardship and disruption created by these road closures, I have written several letters to Island Roads to push for a safe and timely reopening of Ventnor’s Road network. They have replied to all but the latest letter, which was sent after the Easter weekend.
No response from council officers
I have provided copies of this correspondence to Natasha Dix and Colin Rowland. To date we have had no response.
Given the gravity of the situation, as rate payers and business owners, we find this failure unacceptable.
Harm caused by unreasonable delay in reopening roads
The unreasonable delay in reopening roads is harming Ventnor and the surrounding towns and villages. It is both unacceptable and perplexing.
This has led us to question the exact nature of the relationship between Island Roads [IR] and the Council. Surely, the final decisions regarding the Island’s Road network are in the hands of the Council, and not the contractor (IR). This is particularly pertinent for Leeson Road.
A vital artery
IR has indicated that it would be too risky to open Leeson Road even to one way traffic.
Leeson Road is a vital artery, and continued delays will further affect Ventnor and the broader Island economy.
The wider Ventnor Road network
In terms of the wider Ventnor Road network, in our view, IR appears to act arbitrarily, without input from the Council. Roads are closed, and remedial action is delayed due to a lack of urgency on the part of IR, or where the Council has authority, due to Council inaction.
Bath Road and Lower Gills Cliff Road provide perfect examples of this.
Could be dealt with faster
The Council has, within its remit, the power to repair the fallen wall on Bath Road and charge the owner.
The Road has now been closed since October, and no action has been taken. This is contributing to congestion and safety hazards on the Esplanade.
Lower Gills Cliff Road
Meanwhile, Lower Gills Cliff Road has now fallen prey to the sadly familiar IR refrain of: “we have to get special equipment/advice yet to be commissioned” to secure the cliff face from further falls /and or erect a barrier to capture any falling rock.
That specialist advice/equipment is yet to be sought two months after the rockfall is unacceptable; this is a main road and was used as an alternate route to Newport helping to ease traffic on the increasingly unstable Graben.
We are concerned that the regular stationary traffic on the Graben, due to high traffic flow will put the road at risk of opening up as a sink hole, as it has done in the past.
An easy solution
In view of this, we would like to know why the Council feels that it is safer to subject the Graben to heavy traffic, rather than to reopen Lower Gills Cliff Road?
The existing traffic lights, along with the erection of a temporary barrier, could be used to ensure that traffic moves on the south side of the road.
Who makes the decisions?
In closing, while we understand that we cannot have sight of the PFI contract between the Council and IR, it appears to the outsider as if IR is making all the decisions.
Surely the Council, who is the client, must have some control over IR, not just in Ventnor, but Island- wide. Residents are becoming increasingly frustrated and angry.
I look forward to a reply. Yours sincerely, Keep Ventnor Moving
