A 9-week partial closure of the Esplanade at Ryde is to begin later this month, meaning the controversial interchange scheme won’t be completed until at least June – some 2 months later than originally planned.
Island Roads says that the highways element of the Ryde Interchange project is ‘progressing well’ with an expectation that the paving on the north side of the new bus-only road will be substantially complete and opened for pedestrians towards the end of the month.
However, from Monday 27th March, work on the project will move into the final phase which will affect traffic movements through the area. 9 weeks of work to create a new junction at George Street and the Esplanade will begin on this date.
The main purpose of this new, traffic light-controlled junction is to allow buses to travel from the new bus station directly up George Street rather than having to travel along the Esplanade and double back at the Dover Street junction to exit the town – as they have done for decades. In addition, the work will also include new pedestrian crossings which will incorporate the latest safety features.
The 9-week final phase takes the project up to 29th May. It was originally said that work, which began in April 2022, would be complete by Spring 2023 with Island Roads publicising a date of 31st March.
To allow the works to be undertaken safely, the following traffic management measures will need to be put into place:
- Esplanade, Ryde – the southern carriageway between Dover Street and Union Street will be closed in a westerly direction. Vehicles will be diverted via Dover Street, Melville Street, Cross Street and Union Street.
- George Street, Ryde – the northern (bottom) section of George Street, between Esplanade and Castle Street, will be closed and the section of George Street between Melville Street and Castle Street will become 2-way to provide access to residents and businesses.
- Melville Street, Ryde – will become one-way in a westerly direction from Dover Street to George Street.
- Deliveries for businesses between George Street and Dover Street can park on the north side of Esplanade at the rear of the temporary bus stand and cross at the adjacent zebra crossing.
- Deliveries for businesses between Union Street & George Street will be able to do so via a temporary loading bay accessible from the northern side of Esplanade.
Another over budget scheme, no wonder our council tax keeps going up to pay for
things not needed.
The money comes from central Government nothing to do with the Island Council, and Portsmouth Hard is undergoing refurbishment part of the government improvement programme
Tax payer’s are the government as we pay for that
This is all being done in preparation for a 15 minute city.
Still tax payers money being used either way you look at it.
It should come as no surprise it is running late look at other projects run by island roads. The time scale given always looked impossible.
Oh dear something else overruns, no surprises there, waiting until it really opens and the shelters are all dismembered by the local wildlife. I expect that those living in Freshwater will be glad of the peace and quiet though
Another delay in Island Roads works. Who’d have thought?
Not sure what definition of “progressing well” would apply to a project that is two months behind schedule. Clearly Island roads use a different dictionary to the rest of us.
Anyone know how this mess is going to affect the bus services in George Street?
Maybe if the Island Roads workers got out of their vehicles and done some work
rather than sit in their vehicles eating/texting etc, the work would have been done in time.
I read some where that if its not completed on time end of march, the council / us get fined each day it over runs
If so it just means that eventually the residents end up paying the fine.
We are paying for it anyway unless you don’t work comes from tax’s
So it looks like I won’t be able to catch the bus in Melville Street in the future!
That has been very useful, shame to give the buses a short cut to miss out that stop.
Another summer of road works in Ryde, three years running, wight fibre, Southern water, island roads, with queens road shut from July to December, just waiting now for them to announce the closure of great Preston or Marlborough road for the summer months !
I have to say it might be behind, but it does look far better.
If you mean taking away a large chunk of Western Gardens to re-route the entry and exits to Ryde Pier, I don’t agree with you. Essentially what they are doing is expanding the size of the bus station. If you like bus stations that fine, but I prefer public gardens.
Actually I prefer roads to public greens, so it’s great for me. The police should enforce the loitering laws!
Running late, what an amazing surprise.
The exit ramp/road from the pier should turn more at the exit, towards traffic flow…
Are Island Roads going to repair near bottom of George Street, but Castle ST… a terrible bit of road there. Was bodged about three times in last 10 years… sending 12 ton buses up there, will collapse that part of road… Imagine living in those flats with the ground shaking each time a bus or large lorry goes up George St… !!!
tarmac will be flattened with back of spoon like they did Preston Road… who needs a road roller eh ? Or even a road leveller machine.. oh noo,,, ‘ hey mate, that looks level to me ! ‘ Island roads need to take a course into what LEVEL and FLAT means …
Do not worry folks !! Couple of days after all done, one of the boards will come and dig it up… electric, broadband, gas, water…. they will each have a go… !! Then a new sink hole will appear where the old underground toilets are…
Hardly surprising given the hours these people are working, start after09:00 and off home at 16;00 then tea and lunch breaks, i cannot see how they manage to put 5 full hours a day in and when they are working it is one man doing something and three others playing with their phones.
Has this council never thought of having penalty clauses built into a contract?