Residents in East Cowes have expressed their outrage at the latest phase of a scheme of roadworks which has been in progress since March.
The 4 phase plan to upgrade York Avenue was started earlier this year, with original plans for the work to take place before the start of the main tourism season and its influx of holiday makers travelling to the Island.
Diversions to facilitate the latest phase of works were put in place on Tuesday, with the closure of the junction between Adelaide Grove and York Avenue causing confusion for residents due to the works not being scheduled to start until the following day.
Since the introduction of the diversions, residents have been complaining of shaking houses as Heavy Goods Vehicles, artic lorries, cars, and buses all head down small residential streets, through sharp turns and small roads.
The project is currently over a week behind schedule, with the work due to start on the 13th of May and last until the 2nd of June.
Concerns for the safety of pedestrians, including school children using the floating bridge, have also been raised by residents.
Yesterday (Wednesday) saw traffic chaos in the town as traffic heading to and from the ferry terminal, local businesses, several large employers in the area, and school traffic combined causing queues and gridlock, as captured by Councillor Karl Love.
Island Roads says that residents were given ample notice of the works and diversions that would be in place, with information boards places on the affected roads on Monday, and cones being pout into place on Tuesday.
Island Roads said:
“Residents will know that York Avenue was in great need of improvement and the current work should provide a long-term solution by excavating and strengthening the foundations as well as resurfacing it.
“During the project, we have also been co-ordinating work with utility companies to allow them to improve their services to hopefully reduce the need for further disruptive roadworks.
“York Avenue is a busy main road and it is unfortunately inevitable that this improvement work will cause some short-term local inconvenience.
“The East Cowes community, including its local elected members, have been extremely supportive of the project and have helped us by observing the traffic restrictions which are necessary in order to maintain a safe and effective diversion route.
“We can assure residents that we are doing all we can to complete the project as soon as possible.”
Just put up with it, if the road was bad I bet you were complaining about the state of it, now your complaining it is being repaired. You can’t win.
It’s not forever it’s road works can’t be sorted over night
Moved onto phase 4… they haven’t even completed phase 1 yet past Osborne house!
Yee-harrrr Island Roads Cowboys
East Cowes residents have been bleating on about the state of the roads in East Cowes since the start of PFI… now the roads are being resurfaced, they don’t like it either – priceless!
If things were done correctly fist time we wouldn’t be in this situation again