Council officers confirmed yesterday to Councillor Ed Blake that they have requested Leeson Road to reopen by Monday, 2nd December. They hope to achieve this even sooner.
The announcement comes nearly a year after the catastrophic Bonchurch landslide of December 2023, which rendered the road impassable and led to extensive safety concerns.
Final steps before reopening
Councillor Blake explained that only one task remains before the road can safely reopen. He said,
“The only task left to do is put in place the manual monitoring system to last until the automatic system is live.”
The manual system will serve as a temporary safeguard until the automated monitoring equipment becomes operational.
Months of preparatory work
The reopening follows more than two months of intensive drilling to install monitoring equipment. This work aimed to ensure the stability of the site and act as an early warning system for future incidents.
The landslide, which occurred last December, caused significant disruption to the community and required a complex recovery plan to address the damage.
Earlier in the month council leader, Phil Jordan, informed OnTheWight that the the end of November 2024 was the target date for a “full road opening”.
Community awaits normality
Residents and road users have eagerly awaited the reopening of Leeson Road, which serves as a key route in the area. While delays in such projects are not uncommon, the council’s assurance of an early December reopening offers a sense of relief to those affected.
Further updates are expected in the coming days.
