This in from the Isle of Wight Council Conservative Group. In their words – Ed
The Newport Conservative Team have launched a petition calling for Chapel Street (Newport) to be re-opened to traffic flowing from New Street to St James’ Street. They are also campaigning for appropriate one way measures to improve safety on the bends in the road.
The intention is to submit the completed petition in line with the IW Council’s Petition Scheme, with 2,500 signatories being enough to trigger the matter being considered at a meeting of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee (or the Economy & Environment Scrutiny Panel).
A prohibition on entry to Chapel Street from New Street was introduced five years ago. This decision responded to concerns that had been expressed by some residents about the street suffering from excessive vehicular use, following the flow being reversed on the one-way section of Trafalgar Road.
However, there have been changes elsewhere in the town which – in the view of the Newport Conservative Team – have reduced the risk of Chapel Street being used as a rat-run. The decision to make Whitepit Lane one-way from Elm Grove to St John’s Road (with traffic lights removed) has provided a suitable west-to-east contraflow to the one-way section of Trafalgar Road. This arrangement has now been in place for two years, and is considered to be working well.
Newport Conservatives now believe that it is time to review the no-entry to Chapel Street from New Street. The campaign is being led by Cllr John Hobart (elected member for Carisbrooke) and Chris Whitehouse (local campaigner for Newport West).
Launching the petition, Cllr John Hobart said: “We believe it is now time to lift the prohibition on entry to Chapel Street, and that as an additional safety measure, one way arrangements are put into place to improve safety on the bends in the road. The changes to Whitepit Lane have provided a suitable west to east route for those wishing to travel to Shide and beyond. Therefore the potential impact on Chapel Street being used for travel through Newport from west to east is considerably reduced.
“It would make a huge difference to residents of Carisbrooke and those living west of Newport to be able to use this route from time to time to access Nodehill and that side of town.”
Fellow campaigner Chris Whitehouse added: “Many residents of the Newport West area share my frustration at not having more routes to get around the town. Whilst the High Street and Whitepit Lane remain viable routes to get in and out of Newport, having the additional route through Chapel Street would certainly help traffic flow more easily within the town.
“We have all seen the benefits over the past two years of the changes to Whitepit Lane, and the more recent improvements to Church Litten. A further change is now needed – this time in Chapel Street – to improve traffic flows in and around the town. I hope that as many local residents as possible will sign this petition and we can get the issue considered and hopefully implemented soon.”
Campaigners will be going door-to-door with the petition, and it will also be available in local shops.
