Island Roads has said its priority will always be maintaining a ‘safe’ highway network for all users after ‘serious concerns’ were raised over the governance around Isle of Wight road closures.
The service provider told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) it welcomes any discussions about how ‘we continue to work together to achieve those aims’, ahead of an update on roadworks at County Hall today (Thursday).
Island Roads’ statement comes after the chair of the Isle of Wight Council, Cllr Ian Dore, said members from different political groups have been saying the same thing:
“The Island’s highways arrangements are not giving residents and businesses the confidence, clarity or accountability they deserve.”
His motion, passed by the local authority last week, said the recent Firestone Copse Road closure raised ‘serious concerns’ about the evidential basis, decision-making, communications, monitoring, and governance surrounding highway closures undertaken through the Island Roads Highways Private Finance Initiative (PFI) and the council’s highways function.
Councillors agreed to refer concerns as an ‘urgent’ matter to the appropriate committee or committees for consideration.
Cllr Dore’s motion also requests the council consider and make recommendations on commissioning an independent ‘contract assurance review’ of the Highways PFI, including the integration, oversight, and operation of the local authority’s highways department, at meetings in September.
The proposal asks that the matter be brought back to full council for further debate and decision, no later than November.
In the South Wight, the Ventnor Roads Group has been formed following concerns from the Ventnor Traders’ Association about how frequent roadworks, including those carried out by Island Roads and utility companies, are impacting local businesses and visitors.
We’ve been having to put up with these road works for over 2 years now. Utter disgrace.
The roads were in a better state before Island Roads
took control of the island.
Safe, lol, maybe Island roads management and operatives
need to visit Specsavers.
2 for 1 offer on at the moment
Island roads need to arrange road works in a way there are not so many close together causing huge tailbacks, noone disputes road works have to be done its just the way the numptys arrange it.
Its always the same roads that have issues maybe doing the job properly in the first place would help
Ah, the inevitable and inarguable ‘Health and Safety’ trump card always played when sloppy, inefficient and thoughtless practices are pointed out. . Passed two coned-off but unmanned and unworked sections of highway causing major tailbacks and holdups on our way to and from Ryde yesterday. Had all workers been evacuated because of health and safety concerns regarding all those nasty vehicles clogging up the road?
Anyone else get the impression from this that the relationship between IWCC and IR seem to be backwards?
IR work for IWCC, not the other way around and it’s good to see councillors finally trying to make that clear.
Sadly the island is being run by clueless twits!
Vehicles park on Pavements, Double Yellow Lines
etc etc
Many vehicles are driving around with NO MOT’s for
months.
THE USELSS AUTHORITIES COULDN’T CATCH A COLD
YET ALONE A LAW BREAKING MOTORIST
Not to mention all the twits drink and drug driving
We need law and order on the island, it feels like being in
Dodge City, totally lawless.
Yee-haw
About time fines were issued for for sub standard work and inconsiderate scheduling of works. We know contractors come from the mainland and IR are trying to save on ferries but that is to the detriment of island road users. Maybe if they didn’t do numerous projects at one time, they would be able to employ adequate numbers from the Isle of Wight
From what I have seen and witnessed over the years
poor workmanship from many I.R operatives
Many mainland operatives have more go in them.
Majority of I.R employees spend the majority of the day sitting
on their ar*es in vehicles smoking, even though it is against the
law smoking in Company vehicles.