Bembridge residents and businesses alike have expressed outrage as Southern Water confirms plans to close Embankment Road – 1 of only 2 roads into the village – for up to 3 weeks during the busy lead-up to Christmas.
The works, scheduled to take place between 1st-21st December, aim to repair a sewer pipe near the junction with Station Road. However, locals say the timing and short notice are unacceptable, with less than 2 weeks’ warning given to residents and no consultation with Bembridge Parish Council.
Joe Robertson, MP for Isle of Wight East and a local councillor for the area, has written to Southern Water this week demanding an urgent rethink.
In a strongly-worded letter, he has described the plan as ‘unexplainable’, adding:
“I am concerned to learn that you propose to close Embankment Road, Bembridge for substantially the whole of Advent (1st-21st December), in order to repair a sewage pipe near the junction with Station Road.
“This is not urgent work. Indeed, I have been trying to persuade you to undertake remedial work for over 4 years, since I was elected local councillor, in order to relieve flooding to some nearby properties. I see no good reason why it has to be done now.”
He added that such disruption at this time of year is highly disruptive and called on Southern Water to either delay the works until after the New Year or ensure completion by 12th December, with the road reopened during the middle weekend if no work is scheduled.
Posting on Facebook, Joe Robertson added:
“Not acceptable Southern Water: closing off the main road into Bembridge for the whole lead up to Christmas (1st to 21st December) for works which are not urgent. Less than 2 weeks’ notice to residents and no consultation with the Parish Council. Please change your plans like we have requested by phone and by email.”
Bembridge Parish Council is due to discuss the issue at their meeting this week and will consider what action, if any, they can take.
Local business owners and residents say the impact will be significant, especially for shops on Bembridge High Street, who rely on passing trade during the festive period.
Southern Water has defended the works, saying:
“This work is important to reduce the risk of sewer blockages and potential flooding incidents, ensuring the network remains resilient for the community.”
Compounding the misery, SGN is due to carry out gas main replacement works in Bembridge from 24th November until March next year, affecting Hillway Road, Peacock Hill and Sandown Road.
UPDATE FRIDAY – Southern Water has confirmed that it will no longer be going ahead with the closure on 1st December.
Read more at https://www.islandecho.co.uk/southern-water-delays-bembridge-road-closure-plans-until-at-least-2026/.
Get on with it
Ventnor get this sort of crap all the time for a year or more at a time
It’s only 20 days
Good use of a member of parliaments time and energy. I wonder if this much effort would have been given to a different town in his ward?
Whilst it is true that Utilities have a legal right to carry out works, they also have certain obligations to minimise disruption. IWCC have similar obligations set upon them by statute.
Yes, works need to be done and sometimes some disruption is unavoidable but hat is not the case here. And the duty to minimise disruption still stands.
IWCC Highways department have the legal authority to refuse permission should they consider the plans unreasonably disruptive and choose to do so.
Based on their 100% record of not exercising this legal obligation and pretending it is Island road’s responsibility I suspect this time will be no different and their perfect record of inaction will remain unbroken.
January is usually a quieter month, best to do the
works in January.