A delegated decision will be made shortly by Isle of Wight Cabinet member, Cllr Edward Giles, as to the future of the Ventnor to Niton Undercliff Drive.
(Update: Now embedded in this article below)
The road has in the past been subject to landslips that have caused the road to be re-directed. It was also the centre of a well-known, controversial legal examination.
The recommendation of IWC officers is Option (c) – to maintain the existing maintenance regime and divert traffic inland if the road fails. The detail of which is …
- 33. Under this scenario the council would continue its patch and mend approach using existing funds and close the road at appropriate locations when it fails, so as to reduce as far as possible the likelihood of loss of access to properties and businesses. It would also amend the road signing in the area so as to divert unnecessary traffic away from the area and put in measures to reduce traffic diverting through inappropriate roads.
- 34. In these circumstances the council would close the road at appropriate locations so as to reduce as far as possible the likelihood of loss of access to properties and businesses. We would also amend the road signing in the area so as to divert unnecessary traffic away from the area and put in measures to reduce “rat running” through
The recommendation is to reject two other options
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Option (a) – Undertake remedial works to Undercliff Drive together with minor works to the existing inland route
29. Four locations on the Undercliff Drive were identified in need of remedial works in order to maintain the serviceability of Undercliff Drive in its current condition. This work would address the local stability problems and maintain the Undercliff Drive for as long as practicably possible.
30. In taking forward the detailed designs for the traffic signal controlled junctions in the villages it would be important to design a signal layout and junction configuration that:- Takes full account of the needs of local shops and services for parking and deliveries and seeks to minimise the overall loss of on-street parking and deals with the potential effect of displacement;
- Seeks to achieve a solution (e.g. through detailed consideration of appropriate signal phasing’s / timings) that minimises any potential rat-running impacts, speeding or queuing; and:
- Minimises the visual impact of signals (for example by rationalising required posts and street furniture).
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Option (b) – Further Investigate the scope for drainage to improve the stability of the Undercliff .
31. This would involve the drilling of a number of horizontal boreholes at specific locations across the area. This is theoretically sound but so far untested science. One of the boreholes drilled at sea as part of the Seaclean Wight project unwittingly struck this layer, releasing a plume of fresh water into the sea. The hole was quickly plugged, but the event does act to support this idea.
32. Further work involving the drilling of test holes would be necessary to prove this theory although if successful this could help stabilise the area. The anticipated cost of this would be in the region of £1m and If successful this would help to drain and ultimately stabilise the area. This
Do you think the IW council officers have made the right recommendation?
