A prominent Isle of Wight councillor has spoken out following the questionable closure of Firestone Copse Road, saying residents have been left frustrated and cut off by the decision.
As ward councillor for Binstead and Fishbourne, Councillor Ian Dore says he has received a surge of emails and social media messages over the last 24 hours from residents raising concerns about the impact of the closure.
He says the move has severed what many consider to be a vital link, forcing drivers to take lengthy detours for work, school runs, caring responsibilities and visits to relatives.
Councillor Dore has challenged Island Roads directly, requesting the evidence behind the closure and calling for the matter to be escalated to a senior level due to what he describes as the scale of its impact.
Cllr Dore has said that while he accepts safety concerns must be taken seriously, he does not believe a full closure should be the default response…
“I accept safety matters, but safety doesn’t have to mean ‘close the road and hope for the best’, and it certainly shouldn’t be the default setting.
“We need a proportionate, evidence-based response that keeps villages and towns connected. A full-on closure is not it.
“People aren’t being dramatic, they’re being practical”.
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The councillor says he has been on site at different times of day to assess conditions for himself and was joined on one occasion by Ryde Town Councillor, Chris Jenkins. He maintains that decisions should be based not only on official notices but also on residents’ lived experiences.
He has formally called for what he describes as a practical step-down solution, proposing the introduction of a managed one-way system with appropriate signage and speed reduction measures. He has also suggested enforceable weight or width restrictions, with exemptions where necessary, if larger vehicles are considered to be the main risk factor.
The closure follows wider concerns raised about routes being blocked for simply being used as roads, as previously reported by Island Echo.
Councillor Dore has also raised the knock-on effects of the current spate of roadworks, including Elenors Grove, which he says has contributed to reduced trade in Ryde and disruption for local businesses. He claims that Quarr Abbey has also been seriously affected.
In addition, he has raised concerns about increased traffic being diverted onto Main Road in Havenstreet, a route highlighted in the Isle of Wight speed review as higher risk for pedestrians, with traffic calming measures previously recommended.
Ian adds:
“When you close a route that functions like an artery for multiple communities, residents deserve transparency and a plan, not silence.
“I will keep pursuing a one-way system, backed by transparent evidence and senior accountability; until we get a solution that is safe and fair for Isle of Wight residents.”
It should be made illegal to deliberately shut off roads just because they can. It’s bad enough trying to get anywhere as it is, without deliberate controlling of people going on
The plan is to get vehicles off the road.
As Norman Tebbit once said, on your bike.
Lol
Were is the backbone less so called council leader. He should be on top of all this crap and put his foot down
Come on Phil do some work and get all this mess sorted out the island roads are causing
well done Ian,I suggested a one way system over a month ago from Campsite to Milk Shed.
Well done Ian. The council has steadfastly ignored the chaos on our roads. With many more works, yet to be started by the utility companies.
Make it one way from kite hill to haven street for gods sake. As there is
enough bad decisions and organisation around the island alteady
It is utter insanity to close it completely. Havenstreet is far worse to be pushing traffic through. All it needed was ‘Light Vehicles Only’ signage. Piss ups and breweries come to mind when it comes to the incompetents who purport to run IoW Council and Island Roads, neither of which is fit for purpose.
If Anything just open it to one way traffic from Fishbourne, then there will be no congestion and snail ups with vehicles traveling both direction. IR not using joined up thinking here as they should be
Why are Island Roads continually closing OUR roads? All over the Island! This is a recent thing. It’s not about safety; it’s a political move being done to get motorists off the roads. Those at the top don’t want the masses moving freely.
Well done Ian. At least someone is listening to the general public!
Maybe Cllr Ian Dore you can spend some time addressing numerous road safety/dangerous road issues regarding horses in the Binstead area. A friend of mine has sent numerous emails with no real feedback or assistance