A newly elected West Wight councillor has raised serious concerns about the long-defunct cliff warning system along the Military Road, revealing that it hasn’t worked for more than a decade.
Councillor Becca Cameron, who represents Freshwater South, has called a public meeting which will be held on Monday 30th June, between 19:00 to 21:00, at the West Wight Community Centre.
Cllr Cameron says she has been prompted to act after noticing that the flashing cliff warning lights along the Military Road have not been operational for years. After contacting the council, she has been told that the early warning system (EWS) installed at Afton Down in 1997 became redundant sometime before 2013, following the failure of the original extensometers.
These were never reinstated under the Highways PFI contract, it has been revealed.
However, it has been confirmed that a stabilisation scheme was completed in 2003, which included 44 inclinometers. These inclinometers, as well as 6 extensometers, are now manually monitored by Island Roads each year.
Island Roads has recommended adding another extensometer at the western end of the pile system, although no movement has been detected in the current extensometers.
In the event of a hazardous cliff fall, the council says it would rely on physical road closures and inform the public through Temporary Traffic Regulation Orders (TTROs) and media coverage, noting that the old EWS signage does not comply with current standards.
Cllr Cameron says she is concerned that no visual warning system is currently in place despite ‘some large cliff falls’ over the past year.
She’s said:
“I have been so concerned that I haven’t seen the flashing warning lights system work for a very long time on the Military Road so I wrote to our council.
“We need answers and a clear plan to keep residents and visitors safe.”
The meeting is open to all residents and will provide an opportunity for questions to be put directly to the Isle of Wight Council and Island Roads officials.
Surely it would be a great idea to stop large vehicles
using this stretch of the Military Road
I.e double decker buses and coaches.
Whilst at it do something about the speeding
along this lawless road.
Motorists use the Military Road as an Autobahn.
Are we surprised that something doesn’t work on the island, what else are they keeping quiet abut that does not work, or we will not be told until terrible happens.
all the Island chavs don’t work either, they are getting paid more by the DWP and bragging how they can’t come off benefits because it would ruin their Riley life style.
Totally agree, never seen so many lazy b*stards in and around places like Azda at all times of the day, all capable of working but too bloody lazy.