Motorists on the Isle of Wight are finally able to breathe a sigh of relief as Horsebridge Hill has reopened in both directions, significantly earlier than the planned end date of 17th April.
The busy route between Newport and Cowes was reduced to a one-way system in January as part of Southern Water’s major mains replacement scheme, which had been expected to last for nearly 12 weeks.
However, the road has now fully reopened to traffic in both directions this afternoon (Tuesday), bringing an early end to weeks of disruption.
The works had forced traffic heading out of Newport to divert via Forest Road, Whitehouse Road, Rolls Hill and Pallance Road, with only buses and emergency vehicles exempt from the restrictions.
The return of the one-way system earlier this year had reignited memories of previous congestion issues, with long delays and heavy traffic impacting daily commutes across the Isle of Wight.
Now, with barriers removed and normal traffic flow restored ahead of schedule, journey times are expected to improve immediately for thousands of motorists.
So we’re all expected to thank Southern Water for “early completion”. Judging by the amount of workforce action that was actually undertaken over the planned period of disruption on both Elenors Grove and Horsebridge Hill, it was pretty obvious with a full days work and working weekends, the work could have been completed much earlier.
Instead, either through very poor project planning or the inability to schedule resources, Southern Water announced far long planned disruptions – which really got people’s back up and genuinely affected people’s travel and businesses – and now we are supposed to be grateful ? I noticed in the latest Souther Water postal flyers which are trying to improve their image, they specifically mentioned how clever they were to complete their planned disruption at Elenors Grove early. The public – who bore the brunt of this poor planning and incurred additional costs are not so easily fooled !
Spot on, they make it sound like they have done us all a favour
like fcuk did they.
It’s been nothing but a pain in the a@se.
Now we just need the Island Roads numpties to get off their
a@ses and sort out the traffic lights at Lake.
We are worse than a third world country!
Enough is Enough
I did see them working saturdays which didn’t happen last year ..
Shirking or working?
Yay just in time for the tourists coming over for Easter? What about us who live here and have to put up with constant roads closed, traffic lights it’s not fair???
Sadly Islanders don’t count.
Always nice to open early but the road should have never been closed as the diversion was beyond stupid. The diversion was made to avoid noise to a few houses so they divert it through small roads and across dozens of more houses with small roads. This had nothing to do with safety another comment they try and use to shock but Its probably more someone involved in the planning was paid off and or lives in horsehill area. Possibly both. Many days of being on the buses looking at the road construction and morning and evenings rarely saw anyone working on but atleast you could see progress. This work could have been completed in a week.
The bloke from mainland arranged it..doesn’t even live here…Funny that.
Sounds about right, shame the Numpty didn’t get the
traffic lights at Lake repaired.
Just need the strait of Hormuz opened now..
Won’t happen that will mean lower fuel and energy prices
Etc. The plan is to crash the economy.
You will own nothing and be happy.
Road opens, locals still moaning about road closure…..
Yawn
Welcome to the Isle of Wight