Motorists face another month of misery as Network Rail have requested a 4-week extension to the works at Lake Hill.
Initially, it had been hoped that the railway bridge repairs would be completed by 5th May but it now looks as though works will continue until early June – well into the busy Summer season.
It means that those travelling through The Bay area potentially face another 7 weeks of disruption due to the one way closure of the main Sandown to Shanklin road.
Network Rail have a legal right to undertake the work but Island Roads are currently considering whether or not to issue a permit to allow the works to be extended.
It was back in November 2022 that Island Echo exclusively revealed that the disruptive works would be going ahead. It was initially planned for the scheme to get underway on 6th January 2023 but the closure didn’t come into force until 13th February.
Locals have been vocal on social media saying that it appears that nobody ever seems to be working on site.
It is true that no engineers seem to be there doing anything.
Yeah, i recon that protective sheeting covering that side of the bridge is to hide the fact that there is rarely anybody there. What’s wrong with giving traffic lights a try under the bridge ,its only a short distance ?
That diversion is not safe with all of the school kids arriving and leaving. Just fine the contractors if there isn’t a good reason for delay.
Surely the speed humps ought to be permanently removed and the road used to ease the traffic on the main route through Sandown at all times?
The route is no more likely to attract speeding cars than any other, so no need for speed humps, remove them, and lets ease traffic flow by ‘sharing’ the load onto both routes once the bridge is fixed.
Stop the parking on both sides of the road from Lake Hill to Perowne Way iron bridge. Its bedlam trying to get through especially when the school is open. At least the traffic would flow better
Exactly. More parking should be provided on the pavement at Great Preston road to compensate.
Everything, literally everything gets delayed. Why is that?
Because incompetent people are never sacked.
Why isn’t there a ban on parking on the diversion route? Went through there yesterday was ridiculous, all the crap looking motorhomes and vans abandoned near the shop should be towed away.
you just knew that was coming and stop any parking on the fairway
Maintenance is necessary and you can’t leave a job like that half done so give them a two week maximum extension with prohibitive penalty costs then Network rail will have to make it a serious priority and pay any extra costs, overtime, priority steelwork etc. to get it done in time.
Just written to my local councillor to insist on a full explanation be requested from Network Rail and that the council put proper oversight in place if this extension is granted.
I suggest others do the same if we are not to see a 4 week extension become an 8 week or even 8 month one with nobody actually doing anything about it.
The disruption is bad enough but the diversion around Perowne way is a totally unsuitable ticking time bomb and is a miracle that no one has been seriously injured along there already.
After last nights local television news I wonder if they’ve moved the workforce to a bigger job they now have on an Oxford viaduct and the IW can just wait.
Apparently Island line claimed to be ahead of schedule two weeks ago and work could be finished by the end of this month.
Doesn’t look like that’s going to happen know so Lake and Sandown Councils have asked Island Line for a detailed explanation.
Hopefully they will share that on here when they get it.
(I’ve also lodged a format objection to any extension with Island Roads requesting that, at the very least, they insist on better communications and oversight to ensure that works are completed without any further undue delays)
For gods sake get rid of traffic lights when leaving the estate it’s a give way anyway and traffic coming from Sandown is a minimum as everyone being diverted through estate
Every time I go by no work is being done.
It’s not good for the climate, all the extra pollution being created
having to go via Perowne Way for months now.
The Fairway road has been ruined by continuous large lorries and buses using it. By the time the bridge is finished it will need major repairs
HOORAY!!! We still have a good bus service along Perowne way for another month. No problems here.
Been there almost 9 weeks and not even halfway across so how do they hope to complete it in another 7 weeks then onto Mortonbrook bridge look forward to the summer if your’re a car driver!!
who ever thought that that network rail could actually do anything on time apart from tea breaks is beyond me
No doubt would have been cheaper and less effort/aggravation to have replaced the bridge.
Should be undertaken over quieter months and not summer