A 6-month scheme to improve Smallbrook Roundabout in Ryde is about to get underway, bringing significant travel disruption for motorists until April next year.
The notorious, off-centre mini-roundabout will be transformed from the start of October with approaches widened and realigned, traffic islands installed and the centre of the roundabout repositioned. The speed limit is also going to be reduced to 30mph.
Work is due to begin from 4th October and last until the start of April 2022, with temporary traffic lights installed and one-way restrictions on crucial roads causing significant disruption for the thousands of motorists that pass through the area each day.
Smallbrook Lane will become one-way for traffic heading towards Westridge, meaning all westbound traffic will be diverted via St John’s Road. This is expected to cause tailbacks through the St John’s area, especially at peak times. Carters Road will also become one-way, allowing traffic to travel from Upton to Smallbrook only – somewhat of a one-way system for the area, which sees a lot of traffic heading into Ryde from Newport and the south.
Throughout the phased scheme there will be times when Ashey Road, Carters Road and Smallbrook Lane are closed in their entirety. Smallbrook Lane will be closed from 09:30 until 15:30 on Thursday 30th September for utility works.
Further disruption is expected as Great Preston Road is listed as being closed for reconstruction work, day and night, for approximately 6 weeks until 12th November. At the same time, Great Preston Road is listed as becoming one-way (east to west) for utility works.
It was back in January this year that Island Echo exclusively revealed the major redevelopment plans. The Isle of Wight Council has remained silent on the matter, with no consultation with local residents and no notice of works to date – despite the expectation of works beginning in less than 2 weeks’ time. A letter is expected to be sent out tomorrow (Thursday).
Over £100,000 was spent on making improvements to Smallbrook Roundabout just a few years ago, which seems to be money wasted now that this larger, more robust scheme – which some may argue should have happened years ago – is taking place.
Councillor Phil Jordan, Cabinet member for transport and infrastructure, said:
“Naturally there will be some disruption while the work is underway but given the accident rate here, we must be prepared to improve safety at this junction for everyone.
“I am mindful that grant funding will pay for the work, and we will continue to keep the community informed on progress.
“We would like to thank motorists in advance for their understanding and patience while we deliver this much needed and improved road safety scheme.”
Why the secrecy, IWC, a hidden agenda? It’s only taxpayers’ money after all………………
No secrecy been on the agenda for a long time.if you don’t listen or read what’s going on that’s your problem. Needed doing sooner the better.
“…. Grant funding will pay for the work”.
Cut all the trees down and may be able to see the other cars coming. Also put in width restrictions. Big HVG’s using the road all the time to get to Ryde instead of using main road.
The green artic transporting a road planer in the dark for island roads without an escort was the worst hazard i have experienced on this road. I would recommend avoiding this road outside of daylight hours.
Yes great lets cut more trees down, purely because drivers on the Isle of Wight are incapable
and have no idea who has priority at a roundabout.
ALL to do with the massive increase in houses, and thus traffic YET to come.
Years of lorries and heavy plant causing chaos, but NOT for the developer, the planners and all gainging from this, as THEY will be living miles away in a leafy quite lane.
Yep! My guess is that it is just the prep work for the Pennyfeathers development
Ok, it might need doing, but why does it take them 6 months to do it !
Same as with the railway and, ironically, the chain ferry.
Take your time and get it right or ….chain ferry.
But it is not a railway track or a floating bridge is it. It is f’in mini roundabout for gods sake !
There is taking the time to do it right and then there is taking the…
Six months work for a small roundabout would appear to fall into the latter camp.
THINK, WHY? It is all about the Penny Feathers buiding and ruination, that is what it is MOSTLY about, just ‘using’ the roundabout to keep the natives from getting restless
You seem to know everything, so why aren’t you working for the council on a 6 figure salary? Yet another keyboard warrior who hides behind their computer
Your having a giraffe mate !
I maybe a lot of things, but I am no keyboard warrior, infact I’m the complete opposite ! (Just ask the police). Numpty.
Why?
The only issue with this junction/ roundabout was the inability of a minority to know how to use it.
Now we face a minimum of six months disruption ( and a yet undisclosed cost ) to put in place a “fix” that said minority will still not know how to use.
Its the same at apse heath its lije watch a comedy sketch. You go no you go should i go whoooops I shouldn’t have gone so ill stop in the middle andvtry to work out what to do next.
Easy solution put lights up
It’s the same at many mini roundabouts across the Island, including one outside my house – beep, beep, beep, all day long. Been crashes, broken bollards, trucks flipping over.
It’s all because too many people speed approaching without a central object to slow them, and can’t give way if they wanted to.
If these improvements don’t reduce speed, it’s waste of time.
Roundabout in name only.
Need to improve the idiots who use it. And teach them what give way to the right means.
Just make it a proper roundabout, there’s plenty of room, And congratulations for closing Great Preston Road at the same time !!!!
Well it had to be done. What with Penny F mega housing scheme in the pipeline, the old roundabout and layout just wouldn’t cope with all the additional traffic that will be using it.
And if the quoted 6 months, for how long will somebody, or bodies, actually be doing some work rather standing there holding their trousers up or talking to the Mrs on their mobile phone? Yet another farce designed to make everyone cross.
Westridge lights next, that’s why those 2 properties on the corners have been empty for years to make it a bigger junction.
Why on earth will that work take until April next year ? The mind boggles ! Total overspend farce no wonder the council has no money being ripped off left right and centre by contractors. Everything done by the council could be done for 1/3rd of the price if they put out to REAL tenders ….way too much bureaucracy involved these days and steering the jobs to your buddies. Why not get the job done by the best contractor who can do it at a reasonable cost in good time. And of course … there would be nothing wrong with that junction if people drove according to the speed limit and respected the right of way.
6 months that’s because they only work 9 till 4 Monday to Friday with about 3 hours of tea breaks a day and only 2 workers. If this was on the mainland it would be done it 1 month.
Yes, it probably could do with improving, but why on earth would it take 6 months? It just seems like an ‘Island’ thing that everything takes so long. I’ve lived for some time on the mainland and there’s no way a junction improvement scheme at what is basically a mini roundabout would take 6 months to complete but it just seems to be accepted here.
They are USING this as ‘the’ reason for the six months closure, BUT the reality is the infrastructure of roads, pull ins, water, electricity, gas and sewerage and drainage will be being put in place ready for the massive building at Penny Feathers to house the delightful next generation here.
IF they told it the truth, that ‘that’ is the reason for the long time span, then more would complain, so pretend it is ‘all’ for public safety and only the wise see and moan then.
Will the council then pay for some island drivers to be taught how to use a roundabout as they were obviously not taught before taking their test!
Notorious!! Says who? It’s just another mini roundabout which so many drivers don’t seem to know how to use.
Stop wasting money here and sort out the Hare and Hounds junction with an extra lane. Then put in a proper roundabout at the junction at the top of Arreton .
Does anyone from Island Roads ever use the route from Briddlesford Road to Arreton or Merstone at peak times?
Who decides on which road schemes to implement? Certainly not a local driver!
island drivers don’t understand how to use roundabouts so what’s the point in spending money on it
Six whole months to build a simple roundabout???
I think the council should publish and fully justify their project plan on that one.
As for scheduling it to coincide with other major works in the area I have to ask if they have some sort of vendetta against motorists in Ryde.
Great Preston Road has been effectively closed for a large part of this year already for Wight Fibre works – How can this possibly meet the the legal obligation on councils to coordinate works and minimise disruption. (And yes, the legal obligation is on the council, even if they delegate the actual management and work to Island roads)
Thanking us is just insulting
It took only a weekend for a roundabout to be completed in Spain. They worked through the 2 nights, it was noisy, but once over, made a lot of difference…
6 months ? Seriously! Carisbrook roundabout should be next.
I live in gatehouse Rd and dreading the traffic using the narrow lane as a rat run
there will be trouble ahead.
How bloody stupid, another waste of time and money. If they cut the greenery back a bit, and TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO DRIVE, would be a great help.
Where do these people come from with these ideas, are they the same insane people that walk on motorways blocking traffic.. ?
They actually need to do something with the junction by Westridge.. and NOI NOT TRAFFIC LIGHTS. Need a wider two lane exit from Smallbrook lane, so some can actually turn left. Most drivers get in the middle of the exit, to turn right..so anyone wanting to turn left has to wait, and wait, and wait, and wait.. Shame they cann0ot make another exit coming out by the Postal sorting office.. oh no that is too simple.. and a good idea.
This junction does need upgrading.Field of vision is blocked right up to the roundabout in some directions.If drivers think there is nothing wrong with it i would have to diagree.
Six months is a absolute joke.The amount of polluition the residents of st johns hill and school kids walking to and from school are going to be exposed to by stationary traffic will be a at inner city levels.
How an earth can anybody think six months to carry out this work is an acceptable time frame?
I would like to see the schedule of works and development phases..be good for a laugh!!