You will have all heard about the soon to be implemented Experimental Order on the Esplanade. The what, you might ask? Well, it refers to the changes to parking and outside seating for four of the cafes on the seafront.
Once the council receive all the applications from the cafes for a Street Furniture Licence they will be able to proceed with the works to remove parking from two sections of the road and extend the area that the cafes have for outside seating.
Once this is implemented, you will be able to sit outside the cafes and look directly onto the beach, ie. not having to peer over or around parked cars. The spaces between the lifeguard hut and Blakes hut will become disabled parking only.
As 20mph speed limit will be introduced at the same time, so you won’t need to worry about cars rushing past as you sit and enjoy a coffee whilst taking in the beautiful vista. We hear that the signage is complete and ready to be installed. Having spent quite a bit of time on the Esplanade over the past few weeks, in my view, these changes can’t happen soon enough.
We mustn’t forget that this is only a temporary solution and will be assessed in 18 months time but it does go some way towards helping the regeneration of the Esplanade.
Pedestrianisation between certain times of the day and year could make a huge difference to the seafront businesses. After all, people come to Ventnor to be by the sea, and expect to be able to see it when they’re having breakfast or lunch at one of our fine cafes.
If for some reason, the changes to the parking and outside seating do not go ahead, it is assumed that the 20 mph speed limit will still be actioned in the very near future.
We’ve had many people asking after the feasibility study that Susan Scoccia instigated. Thanks to Susan for sending in her response.
[Image of part of the Esplanade taken at Macnaughton-Howe Arts & Craft Festival Exhibition]Highways have put forward a number of options which will now be developed more fully, and these will be put out to public consultation towards the end of the year so that whatever is decided can be included in next year’s budget. The options include ‘shared surface’, localised buildouts and one-way.
