The final phase of the project to upgrade traffic signals and pedestrian crossings on and around Coppins Bridge will be finished early next week – a few days behind schedule.
The scheme, which began in November last year, is upgrading signals and pedestrians crossing points at seven locations on Coppins bridge and its approaches, with work split into phases to reduce disruption.
The overall Coppins Bridge project is the last element of an Island-wide programme under the Highways PFI to upgrade all traffic signals and pedestrian crossings.
It has been left till last given the complexities of working on what is by far the Island’s most busy traffic interchange.
The new traffic signal system on and around Coppins Bridge is fully synchronised meaning it is better able to respond to and accommodate changes in traffic flows. As well as being more ‘intelligent’ the signals also operate using less power so they are both safer and more energy efficient. 5 pedestrian crossing points have also been upgraded during the project.
While work on the scheme has so far been completed to schedule, with 2 phases completed ahead of programme, several issues, most significantly delays in the arrival of ordered specialist parts, has pushed the planned completion date back by several days. Island Roads hopes the work will be complete by next Wednesday at the very latest and hopefully sooner.
Scott Burborough, Island Roads’ powered apparatus manager, has said:
“This final delay is frustrating but is due to circumstances outside of our control.
Article continues below this advertisement “Road users and the local community have been incredibly supportive throughout the work and we are asking them to bear with us for just a few days more. Fortunately, the current temporary traffic arrangements are working well so the impact of this short over-run will hopefully be minimal.”
Councillor Phil Jordan, Isle of Wight Council cabinet member for transport and infrastructure, has visited the site to see first-hand the complex nature of the work and to hear about the benefits it will bring. He said:
“I am really pleased this work at such an important location is nearing completion.
“Coming after the recent major projects to improve traffic flows across St Mary’s junction and St George’s Way, great strides have been made in ensuring traffic flows on the roads serving our County Town are as smooth as possible.”
Fully synchronised my arse. Island roads have no clue about traffic lights. They all favour single lines of traffic, or the lane with least amount of traffic on. Seaclose is a joke, default to red on Fairlee Rd, going into Newport you always have to stop when there’s little traffic, because they’re green for no-one coming out of the council offices.
I agree with you on this one they should be on a sensor
Thats a project for the future so they can keep the gravy train rolling.
Are island roads penalised for delays? If not, then why not?
I always wondered what happened to Johnny Ball
so were is the next major disruption? and will it be next week or the week after?
Don’t worry about island roads causing disruption, thier mates at wight fibre and Southern water have thier backs on that one.
Constantly for weeks to come in most places at an educated guess.
Could have finished on time if we didn’t have to pose for stupid photographs. And that rig-up has obviously never seen a moment’s work it it’s life, as expected.
Avoiding Newport at all costs!
Why do all these expensive IMPROVEMENTS, always seem to make things worse ? Getting onto the duel carriageway yesterday, there were two sets of traffic lights next to each other, one was on red and the other on green, priceless.
There’s not even any obstruction at the end of Fairlee Road. God only knows why they have to block the road for a month and the same at the bottom of the high Street. No obstruction there either! Now they have closed lake hill for a month. Never in the history of the Island have main roads been closed off like this for so long even when rebuilding roads from the dirt upwards. Its utter madness.
I think someone needs to take a long hard look at the roundabout layout at Asda another crap layout. I think whoever designs these set ups should give up they have no idea whatsoever. I have come close to being hit twice on the section going to Sandown due to it being 2 lanes
Yes, stupid, isn’t it. 3 lanes entering the roundabout and 3 exits (unless you’re going to double back on yourself, of course). The logical option would have been to designate one lane for each exit. But, no, that would be too sensible. Much better to have 2 lanes feeding into one and people trying cut in and jump a few places in the traffic. You need a special type of intelligence to design that.
All the lights need something doing to them
what about the ones at Fairlee service station .
coming from east Cowes 6 am in morning no one about anywhere and as I approach on nearly every occasion the go red wtf .
well this is an island thing lol
Why do we have to have the little green man on the same side of the road as where you are standing. Much better having it on the other side of the crossing facing you.
Oh don’t worry park road is closed from the 14th march !!!!
For 5 weeks or so !!!!!!
It’s closed on a regular basis just to add to our excitement of diversions!!!!!
Obviously haven’t fixed the problem over all the years I have had to divert and many others as well …..
I’ve never known a place with so many qualified traffic systems engineers.
what a waste of talent!
You don’t need to be a ‘qualified traffic systems engineer’ to comment. You simply need to drive around the Island. It’s not difficult to see the mess our roads are in with the constant digging up and tinkering.
Island Echo, please take this article down; can’t stand the photo of Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum any longer. Thank you
Have the Isle if wight council and island roads ever heard the frase IF IT AIN’T BROKE DON’T FIX IT I’m sure the council have shares in the company that make the traffic lights we seem to have more sets of traffic lights per square mile than the mainland in its entirety almost literally every turn you make your confronted with a set of damn traffic lights I have also noticed every traffic light controlled junction when the light stop working for what ever reason the traffic flows better and the junction works better too much of our money spent on pointless cap yet you can’t find a toilet when you need to pee while your out
When are you going to fix the jams that happen coming out of B and Q.and heading to westwight? Always backed up.to.the b and q roundabout. It was quicker when it was a roundabout! Traffic signals at rush hours would have been cheaper and more efficient.
I just heard that Island Roads are employing David Icke to help with our roads. They couldn’t afford Rod Stewart apparently?
I have just heard that Island Roads have employed David Icke to help fill the potholes.
Apparently Rod Stewart was too expensive?