Briddlesford Road is to remain closed for the foreseeable future as utility company SGN works to fix a gas leak – just 12 months after spending £1.1million upgrading pipes in the area. The busy route between Wootton and Arreton was suddenly closed without explanation around 8 weeks ago, causing significant disruption for motorists and local businesses alike. Questions have now been raised by Island Echo readers as to why the road remains closed in both directions, despite little or no work having taken place in the past week or so. It has been confirmed that works to repair the gas leak continue, but that Island Roads is ‘encouraging’ SGN to complete the repairs as soon as they possibly can. It was in February 2023 – just 12 months ago – that Briddlesford Road was closed for 7 weeks to replace a section of the main gas network, in a scheme costing £1.1million. This latest lengthy closure has once again significantly affected Briddlesford Farm, with fewer customers than usual passing through the cafe and farm shop, particularly in the February half-term. Speaking about the ongoing situation, the Griffin family have said:
“We have been patient, and understanding with SGN because we realise the necessity of the work. We were pleased that the work started in early January when it would have had the least amount of impact on our business. “We were told that the work would take a maximum of 3 weeks. The site manager assured us that all the necessary equipment and resources were in place to get straight on with the work. However, SGN have since encountered unforeseen problems. “We are now desperate for the road to be re-opened from both ends as we have entered week 8 of the closure and the effect on our business is significant. “We are thankful to our loyal customers who have made the effort to still visit and shop with us, despite the inconvenience”.
Some of the frustration for motorists has been around the closure disappearing from traffic maps, giving the false impression the road has re-opened. It is understood this occurred as the traffic order allowing the closure expired on 16th February. However, it has been confirmed by Island Roads that the current closure is legal as the previous order includes a provision for it to remain until the works have been completed. A spokesperson for Island Roads has said:
“As a public utility, Southern Gas Network has a legal right to undertake this work and, clearly, Island Roads would not seek to prevent a gas leak being repaired. Our role has been to ensure the correct traffic management plans and processes are in place and that the road network remains safe. “SGN has been undertaking the work under the required permits. The most recent permit expired last Friday and we are in discussions with SGN following this expiration. The closure for Briddlesford Road is in place as the legal order includes provision for it to remain until the works have been complete. “The One Network system takes its information from the status of granted work permits, it will show the road being free of work. However, to assist the public, we have now updated it to show the closure. “While we understand local frustrations, safety is of paramount importance and it is in everyone’s interest for the leak to be repaired. “We will of course continue to encourage SGN to complete the work as soon as they possibly can”.
SGN was approached for a statement last Thursday, but no response has been given.
Can they actually put a proper closure in place then so people don’t keep driving through it? Or place a copper there to catch them as it’s illegal to drive through a hard closure
Bill sadly the Island is run by dopey B’stards
If I had a £1 everytime a vehicle turns into George Street, Ryde
even though there is a NO right hand turn SIGN.
Jordan’s Ryde Interchange is a complete waste of money.
The only coppers you see thesedays are the ones in your pocket.
So whether a closure etc is in place, no motorist bothers.
The island is a complete joke.
Time to move away thenVoR
Will be, can only tolerate idiots for so long!
when are you leaving then?
Driving with undue care and attention.
No insurance.(once you enter a road closure you insurance is void)
Resit driving test as you clearly can’t read a sign
So how does that work for the people who have houses directly adjacent to the road works??
They still have a legal right to access their properties!
Yes from the opposite end, where a sign states you can still access buildings and properties. However, the Wootton Common end is a hard closure and people should not be going in or coming out that way.
SGN will not say anything as usual , they will leave the works open as long as they want , no rush the Islanders are mushrooms, kept in the dark and fed on BS. You will probably find the work crew are committed to a job on the mainland
So in the past 14 months SGN has worked 4 times at this part of Briddlesford road, you get the impression experience is in short supply to resolve the issue, also as island echo reports there has been days no work has occurred which will ad to longer road closure, let’s see if this happens again in the next 6 months
I don’t expect it will happen in the next 6 months,I give it 4 months at the most !!!
Fifth time lucky! Fingers crossed.
So long as one of the work persons remembers to bring the brooms to lean on
We always assume that they’re carrying out required work, but is there ever any evidence that a gas leak exist? Who reported it, who discovered it, how was it assessed, it just seems like some hiviz turds come along at random, and close roads out of malice, scumbags.
Well I’ve walked past the site daily and not much work going on just a big hole full of water! Gas people you know you can get pumps to pump water out to mend a leak! I know we need gas but come on it’s a busy road and people are getting effected now.
The so called workers don’t give a flying **** ,it’s not affecting them so it don’t matter.
Whilst it is technically true that the terms of SGN’s permit allow it to remain in force until the works are complete, section 66 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 requires them to complete works with “all such dispatch as is reasonably practicable”.
If they fail to do so they are committing an offence and can be fined for doing so.
Section 66 also grants IWCC the power to require SGN to take whatever reasonable steps they deem necessary to mitigate the delay up to and including ceasing the works and reopening the road.
Eight weeks for a gas leak repair is way beyond any reasonable interpretation of the above requirement.
IR/IWCC have the legal power to resolve this but seem to have chosen not to.
9 weeks to replace a set of traffic lights and this. This country is pathetic…..
No, on the mainland these repairs would have been completed in days. It is this island that is the joke.
But you are obviously are a traffic light expert? You know that 80% of the uks fixed traffic lights come from the same supplier? So if it was Oxford or Hare and Hounds it’s the same wait to build the system? Little knowledge is dangerous and trust me you have little knowledge!!
This problem should have been fixed weeks ago,I bet if any of the so called big wigs had been affected it would have been fixed weeks ago !!!
Big wigs don’t exist, they are just over paid pre-maddona’s.