‘Disagreements’ are continuing about the level of services being delivered on the Isle of Wight, under the Highways PFI contract. Isle of Wight Council leader, Councillor Phil Jordan, revealed on Wednesday at a full council meeting that there were disagreements between the authority and its highways partner, Island Roads, about the ‘level of services being provided for the money they are paying’. Prompted by Cllr Geoff Brodie, who asked whether Cllr Jordan thought Island Roads was performing to a standard the Island should be expecting, the council leader told members the authority was doing as much as it could, as quickly as it could, to ensure the Island was getting what it paid for. The 25-year Highways PFI contract had been dubbed as the largest engineering project ever undertaken on the Island and started in 2013. The contract is delivered by Island Roads and it is responsible for the maintenance and management of the public highway, footways and cycleways, including street sweeping, gulley cleansing and operating the CCTV network. The initial 7-year core investment period was used to upgrade the ‘bulk’ of the Island’s roads but had to be extended as not all of the 14 ‘milestones’ were delivered in that timeframe. It was originally claimed that ‘every road and pavement on the Island’ would be resurfaced – but that hasn’t been the case. Councillor Jordan said the last milestone should have been delivered by the end of March 2020 but was signed off in 2021 after issues were resolved. It was more than 15 months late. The council leader had previously said the authority was “challenging where the standards are not being met” and was seeking legal advice. Councillor Jordan said he could not go into further detail about it but it was not unusual in a contract of this complexity and diversity to seek legal clarification during the contract. The contract is now in the remaining 18-year maintenance period which, despite delays to the core investment period, is supposed to still finish in 2038.
DISAGREEMENTS CONTINUE OVER HIGHWAYS PFI CONTRACT BETWEEN COUNCIL AND ISLAND ROADS
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They are a disgrace and the whole deal is a disgrace. The roads are a complete mess and Island Roads operate like cowboys.
Island Roads operatives are good at one thing
Sitting on their Ar*es in vehicles doing fcuk all
The Company lacks management
Island roads what a joke, the roads are in a worst state now then before they started, cheap materials used that lasted if lucky 5 years. How did Island roads get the contract?
I think we all know that old chap!
What has happened to the £6.2 million given to the Isle of Wight Council by the MoJ for the upkeep of the ex prison estates roads in Newport over two years ago now???
Did I miss something ! Have our roads been upgraded ??
That’s what happens when you allow a contractor to approve their own work. The whole PFI contract was riddled with ludicrous allowances for failure and then the council paid the idiot who drew it up in the first place tens of thousands of pounds to correct his own work! Utter incompetence from start to finish from a bunch of clowns.
I don’t know who checks that Island Road is meeting its obligations on roads, footpaths, cleaning gullies, etc. The main road through my estate hasn’t been serviced since before 1985. It was down to be done in the first couple of years after the contract started, but it seems to have dropped off the radar; Ai probably missed it. Also, walking along different paths around the Island, the rubbish left, under seats and on the curbsides doesn’t move from one year to another. Come clean, Council; who isn’t up to their job checking this?
Sadly the whole Island is run useless stupid B’stards
They dont have a brain between them, hence the poor services provided
on this backward Island.
Fairlee and Gt Preston Road are a disgrace.
A lot of the roads are a disgrace. George Street, Malbourough Road and Westhill Road are like driving over railway sleepers as is parts of Great Preston Road and Union Street. And this is just Ryde. And now since all the wet weather and flooding, road surfaces are lifting away from under structure leaving new potholes. It’s time for some competent and new contractors
Gaz i Agree new Contractors ,you complain but ,Island roads do not carry out their work,it was only last week that i reported a gully that was Blocked with leaves in Brannon Way ,and i explained this should be cleared before any flooding occurs what happens last Wednesday Brannon Way was flooded gully was not cleaned out ,and caused traffic chaos for the motorist to pass by the flood via the car park .I TOOK PICTURES OF THIS INCIDENT,I then hod no option but to report this complaint to Sarah Redrup our Parish Councilor who was very quick to respond ,
And here come the moaners!! Love how everyone moaning but maybe try driving on the north island not on a motorway or dual carriageway but in mainland towns and villages, google council cuts budget of island roads (I know Google is not the first point of facts for a lot of you!! Just Mavis and Pete down the pub) then maybe you can see what those guys and girls are having to deal with. Not a huge fan of road works but it seems people moan about everything, in a world of cut backs (unless your on benefits) I think their doing a good job. I see a chap sweeping daily in all weathers, I see the drain cleaners out at 4am, I see chaps doing the best they can trying to make our island better even though the council want cut backs.
You obviously work for Island Roads and you are completely deluded. The roads are a mess and you know it.
Unfortunately not as the work looks good! I don’t really like working but like to spend your tax money from 11am till late on cheap beer and girls with no front teeth and a tattoo of something from the local Chinese!! I am lucky that your tax pays for me to get a taxi and not a cheap car do don’t feel the potholes, thanks for paying tax… could be worse could work for the ferries of water board.
Wow, where did you buy those roses tinted glasses? I want some.
I got my glasses from spec savers for free thanks for paying for them, and only just round the corner from spoons.,.
I just wish they would actually look at which roads they are closing, because you end up driving around nigh on the island to get back where you started !!!!!
45 minutes for a 20/25 minute journey?????
Yes I know weather causes problems and delays but please think !!!!!!….
Also bus journeys are twice the normal time !!!
Whatever happened to the footpath that was supposed to be installed and run alongside Pan Lane 3 years ago? All we got was a “Temporary” one way system that is totally ignored by locals as a quick exit of the Pan estate.
This is the standard reply you get if you contact Island Roads to report a crumbled and continually flooded pavement.
Requests for change are then held on this register and a feasibility investigation undertaken by the Safety Officer of Island Roads. This will determine if there is a need for a change to the network and if the change will produce a safety or accessibility improvement. The Isle of Wight Council then considers all these requests to determine which should be implemented with their small budget. It must be borne in mind that this funding is limited and would not ever be sufficient to cover all requests for highway changes or improvements that we receive.
Lets face it, the whole council and IR are full of shit. Blaming each other. More houses being built doesn’t help either, more houses = more cars and more wear and tear. Now with Jerk Jordan in charge everything is down the plughole, usless little man.
Island Roads should have their contract removed .the state of the roads, kirbs ,gullys.footpaths, is an utter disgrace.i am appalled at what island roads calls, permanant reinstatement of the potholes ?, When Island Roads was given the contract ,they gave themselved new offices ,plant equipment ,commercial vehicals .ECT ,this has now left staff shortage ,Island now are cutting corners to the bone .it certainly needs this council to shake up Island Roads . and what interest does Island Roads have in the Gravel Extraction in Wootton Bridge with WBM?. we need a strong councilor to stand up to the antics of Island Roads
Their marvellous new roads are already breaking up.
25 years? How can that be right? Too long to become complacent. Has any training been given to those responsible for warning signs? Always seem to put out into the road far enough that you are forced out into the wrong side of the road. Temporary traffic signals are a joke, one side always have to wait longer, causing ridiculous tailbacks. That’s without phantom works going on. And poor planning around road closures.
What annoys me most is the time they take to supposedly resurface a road, I spent some time in Germany, in 5 days they can resurface the equivalent of 1 mile, during that ALL services like electric, gas and water service their pipes as well. All undertaken between 6pm and 6am so not to disrupt normal daily activity
After recent flooding of the Strand island roads came out to pump a drain but guess what they couldn’t remove cover as it had been tarmacad over !!!!! By island roads !!!!! You couldn’t credit it ? If it wasn’t so serious it would be funny!!!!!!
Here is a thought. The council could ask the public, you know, those that pay their wages…where there are issues on the roads over here? How long would that take? 1 hour, 1 day…. 1 week!!!
Anyone that uses our road network can point out without thinking at least a dozen locations that are of concern.
We all know about the magic roundabout. The lack of traffic at St. Mary’s from Cowes shows how well it works! Yes, of course, but the lights at the Stag mean all that traffic now waits up there instead. Complete and utter farce. But when idiots that sanction stuff like that allow Island Toads to draw up their own Pay For Indefinitly contract? No faith in any of them full stop.
Re adjust your direct debit on council tax by deducting £50 pounds per month as a fine on failing to provide services that we paid up front for. Just a thought!
Roads and pavements 100% better then before, you all just like to moan like little old farts, yeah some haven’t been done but maybe they will get to them? And people crying about cheap materials doesn’t it come from the only place on the island wight buildings .