Hundreds of residents registered their views about the proposed transformation of Ryde Interchange.
Thanking all those who took part in the consultation, the Isle of Wight Council said it would need more time to properly consider so many wide ranging and detailed comments.
Over 2,000 responses
Launched in June, more than 300 people completed the online survey with the authority receiving a further 1,700 paper responses as well as representations from partners, such as Historic England.
The six-week consultation sought views from the community on the key elements which will define the look and feel of the area, including landscaping and planting, bus carriageway surfacing, kerbing, pedestrian paving and seating.
People were also invited to comment more widely on the scheme which will all be taken into account in the report to be discussed by Cabinet on 14th October.
Working out to make up the lost time
Colin Rowland, the council’s director of neighbourhoods, said,
“Thank you to everyone who took part in the Ryde Interchange improvement consultation. The views we’ve received are key as we look to take this project forward.
“Due to the wide reaching and detailed comments in a great number of responses, it will take longer than anticipated to give all the feedback full consideration. This will obviously put more time pressure on the project, but it is more important that this work is done properly at this stage.
“As such, we are now working closely with our partners and the Department for Transport to establish the best ways to recover this lost time to ensure the ongoing success of the scheme.”
Improving the gateway to the Island
The aim of the project is to increase connectivity for travellers at the gateway to Ryde while at the same time making the area around the interchange, pier and Esplanade a better and safer place for people to visit and enjoy as a destination in itself.
Therefore, the proposals seek to increase and improve public amenity space and to reorganise that space to reduce the dominance of motor vehicles and improving priority to pedestrians.
Improvements to pier and train station
Other key elements of the wider project are being delivered by Wightlink — by transforming the disused tramway into a pedestrian and cycling boardwalk up the pier — and South Western Railway, which will refurbish the terminal building to create through access to the reinstated pier, new fully accessible toilets and expanded concessions.
News shared by Isle of Wight council press office, in their own words. Ed
Image: © Isle of Wight Council
