UPDATED: Southern Vectis are to operate a shuttle service in Upper Ventnor for a period of nearly 6 weeks during works by Island Roads which will separate the town in two and will see motorists facing a lengthy diversion.
From Monday (1st February), Newport Road in Ventnor will be closed from Gills Cliff Road to Down Lane to allow substantial works to get underway to shore-up ‘The Graben’. This means all traffic in and out of Ventnor will need to divert via Whitwell or Shanklin.
As a result of the near-6 week closure, Southern Vectis Route 3 buses and school bus routes 106, 311, 312, 316, 317, 319, 330 and 500 will all face delays and diversions.
The diversion for Route 3 towards Ventnor from Newport is Godshill through to Whitwell, Ventnor Road through to Ventnor and left into Upper Gills Cliff before turning right into Ocean View Road to rejoin the normal route. The diversion route will operate in both directions.
A shuttle bus will operate between York Road in Upper Ventnor and Shanklin Co-op operating at the times below:
• Leaving Upper Ventnor York Road operating an hourly service via Whiteley Bank from 07:05 until 18:05, with one extra trip at 23:55
• Leaving Shanklin bus station operating an hourly service hourly via Whiteley Bank from 07:40 until 18:40, with one extra trip at 00:30
In addition, the following school bus routes will be affected throughout the 6-week period:
Route 106 AM – This vehicle will start from Ocean View Road at 07:35, operate as per revised timetable then divert via Shanklin to St Francis School. The school staff who usually travel on the vehicle will need to be in position to meet the bus at Ocean View Road
Route 106 PM – This vehicle will have to operate via Shanklin to make drop offs in Lower Ventnor approx 25 mins later than normal as per attached timetable
Route 106 AM – Top of Ocean View Road at 07:35 | Old Station at 07:40 | Trinity Church at 07:45 | Albert Street at 07:50, then divert via Shanklin to St Francis Primary at 08:20
Route 106 PM – St Francis Primary at 14:55 then divert via Shanklin to Trinity Church at 15:15 | Central Car Park at 15:17 | Old Station at 15:20 | Top of Ocean View Road at 15:22
Route 311 AM – The 311 vehicle will start from Niton at the normal time (07:35) and operate normal route and times to Pine Point, then it will continue from there but following the Route 312 times and pickups between Pine Point and Sandown Bay Academy.
Niton (Church Street) -07:35 | Whitwell (Church) – 07:40 | Pine Point – 07:45 | Ventnor (Boots) – 07:48 | Upper Bonchurch – 07:53 | Shanklin Co-op -08:05 | Sandown Bay Academy – 08:15
Route 311 PM – The 311 vehicle will operate from Sandown Bay Academy at the normal time of 15:10 and will operate via the 312 route until Pine Point, then the 311 route from Pine Point to Niton.
Sandown Bay Academy – 15:10 | Shanklin Co-op -15:20 | Upper Bonchurch – 15:32 | Ventnor (Albert Street) -15:37 | Pine Point – 15:40 | Whitwell (Church) – 15:45 |Niton (Church Street) – 15:50
Route 312 AM – The 312 vehicle will start from Rookley at the normal time (07:25) and operate normal route and times to Upper Ventnor, then it will turn there and follow the Route 311 times and pickups between Upper Ventnor and Sandown Bay Academy.
Rookley (Co-op) – 07:25 | Godshill (Hollies) – 07:30 | Sandford (Chapel) – 07:33 | Whiteley Bank – 07:35 | Wroxall (Church) – 07:38 | Upper Ventnor – 07:43 (turn) | Upper Ventnor – 07:47 | Wroxall (Church) – 07:52 | Whiteley Bank – 07:55 | Shanklin (Co-op) – 08:05 | Sandown Bay Academy – 08:15
Route 312 PM – The 312 vehicle will operate from Sandown Bay Academy at the normal time of 15:10 and will operate via the 311 route until Upper Ventnor, then turn and follow the 312 route from Upper Ventnor to Rookley.
Sandown Bay Academy – 15:10 | Shanklin (Co-op) – 15:20 | Whiteley Bank – 15:30 | Wroxall (Church) -15:33 | Upper Ventnor – 15:38 (turn) | Upper Ventnor – 15:42 | Wroxall (Church) – 15:47
Whiteley Bank – 15:50 | Sandford (Chapel) -15:52 | Godshill (Griffin) -15:55 | Rookley (Co-op) -16:00
Route 316 AM – The 316 vehicle will start from St Lawrence at the nomal time (08:05) and operate normal route until Pine Point, then divert direct via Whitwell and Godshill to Medina College. An additional Route 316 vehicle (formed by the vehicle ex Route 312) will operate Route 316 from Apse Heath, through Winford and Arreton at the normal times for those students boarding through there. The remainder of the students, who live between Upper Ventnor and Whiteley Bank, should use route 319 instead.
Route 316 PM – The 316 vehicle will operate from Medina College at normal time (15:45) and drop the Arreton/Winford/Apse Heath students, then divert via Shanklin to Ventnor and drop students from there through to St Lawrence. The students who who live between Upper Ventnor and Whiteley Bank and who used Route 319 in the morning should use Route 319 again in the afternoons.
Route 317 AM – All students notified by the school will be collected by Route 319 which will be extended to start from Upper Ventnor at 08:25.
Route 317 PM – All students notified by the school should catch Route 319 PM which will extend to Upper Ventnor.
Route 319 AM – Route 319 will be back-projected to start from Upper Ventnor at 08:25 to collect the 317 students as notified by the school. All students should catch Route 319 as normal except those notified by the school from Godshill who will need to catch Route 320 from either Scotland Corner or Dubbers.
Route 319 PM – Route 319 will continue beyond Wroxall to Upper Ventnor for the 317 students notified by the school.. Those notified by the school from Godshill should use Route 320 instead.
Route 330 AM – This will be split into two runs either side of the closure. One vehicle (a coach and which will show 330R on the destination) will start from St Lawrence at a slightly later time of 08:10 and operate 5 minutes later but on normal route until Ocean View Road, then divert via Whitwell and Godshill to Christ the King and Carisbrooke direct. Another vehicle (a decker) will start from Upper Ventnor at the correct time (08:20) and operate the normal times and route from there into Christ the King and Carisbrooke.
Route 330 PM – Again, this will be split into two runs either side of the closure. One vehicle (a decker and which will show 330R on the destination) will divert direct via Godshill and Whitwell to Ocean View Road and then complete normal route from there (including the conveyance of Free School students to St Lawrence at normal time of 16:20 from Island Free School). Another vehicle (a coach) will operate normal route and times as far as Upper Ventnor and terminate there.
Route 500 AM – this route will need to operate 15 minutes earlier than the normal timetable throughout its journey – route is unaffected.
Route 500 PM – this route will depart at its normal time of 16:20 and operate normal times throughout.
Route 503 AM – This will be split into two runs either side of the closure. One vehicle (a coach) will start from Newport Bus Station at normal time (07:35) and operate normal times and route until Godshill Yarborough Close, then divert via Whitwell to Island Free School direct. Another vehicle (a decker) will start from Upper Ventnor at 07:35 and operate in opposite direction via Wroxall (07:40) then divert via Shanklin to Island Free School.
Route 503 PM – Again, this will be split into two runs either side of the closure. One vehicle (a coach) will start from the school at normal time and divert via Whitwell to Godshill then complete normal drops from there to Newport. Another vehicle (a decker) will depart Island Free School at 16:45 and operate diversion via Shanklin to Wroxall / Upper Ventnor and terminate there.
All queries regarding the timings and routes throughout the closure should be raised with the school that each student attends as they have the necessary lists and information.
