OnTheWight always welcomes a Letter to the Editor to share with our readers – unsurprisingly they don’t always reflect the views of this publication. If you have something you’d like to share, get in touch and of course, your considered comments are welcome below.
This from CycleWight, the Island’s cycling advocacy group. Ed
With reference to the Horsebridge Hill roadworks which have caused a great deal of comment over the last few weeks, one thing that has been omitted from the discussion is that an enormous missed opportunity has occurred to improve the quality of the cycling and, in particular, the walking environment on this stretch of road while the junction works have been taking place.
Needs for improved routes already adopted
The Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) for Newport (written and adopted by the Isle of Wight Council) outlines the need for an improved walking and cycling route along the stretch of A3020 road (Parkhurst Rd) leading from the housing estate opposite the prison to the front of St Mary’s Hospital and onwards towards Newport.
The current infrastructure for cyclists is non-existent and for pedestrians is very substandard, with a rough, narrow and poorly lit path running on the east side of the road past the houses on Hewitt Crescent towards St Mary’s and the only crossing point to the west side being located north of the housing estate.
While it is understood there will be some sort of cycling connection between the new housing development on Horsebridge Hill and Dodnor Lane, that will not be of use to people living on the existing estate (Partridge Rd, Hewitt Crescent etc) who wish to easily access St Mary’s and onwards to Newport by bike or on foot.
Joined up approach needed
A joined up approach by the Isle of Wight Council would have seen them planning to upgrade active travel facilities along the A3020 at the same time as the current junction works, in doing so reducing the overall cost and the disruption of achieving these various objectives.
With all the new housing development along the A3020 corridor, the road network between Cowes and Newport is gradually reaching capacity and by improving walking and cycling infrastructure, more residents will be willing to leave their cars at home (assuming they have access to one), thereby reducing traffic on the surrounding roads.
Benefits for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians
The Isle of Wight Council has commissioned and adopted a whole series of LCWIPs covering large areas of the Island.
More effort needs to be made by the Council to look at how schemes in those LCWIPs can be implemented alongside other highway schemes, so that benefits can be achieved for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians in the most cost-effective and least disruptive way possible.
