Work to improve 1 of 2 main routes into Bembridge is to get underway today (Wednesday) – but Islanders are being reminded that the village remains open for business throughout the project. As previously reported by Island Echo, Bembridge residents were initially up in arms about the closure, calling it a ‘disaster for the High Street’ and stating that Easter was the time when they could clear some bills accumulated over the quieter winter months. In light of this, Island Roads has once again stressed that all work to improve sections of Kings Road will cease over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend when access in and out of the village will be completely unrestricted. The work on Kings Road – which cuts off access from St Helens – is scheduled to begin today (20th March) and last 15 working days. The project involves excavations to address the underlying ground conditions that have caused the surface of Kings Road to deteriorate in some areas. In some cases, these excavations may be deep which means that though the site will be closed as a through road for the duration of the work, the need for future maintenance should be reduced. The project is part of an intensive programme of highway improvement work being undertaken by Island Roads in the period between the start of the year and the main Summer season when work on major routes is scaled back to reduce the impact on the visitor economy. An Island Roads spokesperson has said:
“Though we do take time to plan our work programme to minimise inconvenience, it is sadly inevitable that work of this nature on busy routes cannot be undertaken without causing some disruption. “In order to reduce this, we will be working in four distinct phases at Kings Road and while the road will be closed as a through route, access to properties will be maintained at all times as long as it is safe to do so. Access for pedestrians and dismounted cyclists will remain along Kings Road at all times. “We will also be putting out advance warning signs that make it clear that village businesses are open and accessible – albeit via a signed diversion. We intend to cease all work and remove all restrictions over the Bank Holiday weekend from the afternoon of Thursday March 28 to the morning of Tuesday April 2.”
During work, Embankment Road will be open as far as Station Road and the town is accessible in the other direction from Forelands Road.
We all know it will be 4 or 5 weeks
I wonder how long these shoddy works will last ?!
People will riot if they can’t get access to buy Woodford’s sausage rolls and pies !!
Also if the road crews get to hear about them they may drag out the work for longer so that can eat the sausage rolls and pies for lunch for much longer !!
The ridiculous high wages these muppets get paid,
they could buy out Woodfords every lunchtime.
Sounds as though IR are doing their best to maintain access. Not that that will appease the ghetto-occupants of Bembridge, who apprarently would cut off their nose to spite their face…
I notice that Briddlesford Road is shut again, just a week after it reopened. How long was it closed for, 9 weeks?
I don’t hold out much hope for Bembridge.
Just goes to show how the other half lives!!! Average Joe can’t shop in Bembridge due to how expensive it is, average Bembridge person doesn’t leave the village. But how they moan about the roads yet when something happens they moan more!!! If they don’t want better roads how about they say so? I would love my town to have works and at any time including around my birthday, baby Jesus birthday or the long weekend when we eat chocolate eggs from a bunny. People of Bembridge stop moaning and enjoy the peace from us lesser villages and towns coming!! Ps I only come to Bembridge to use your public toilets as you have nice toilet paper and to empty my wrappers of local produce from villages that I support.