The road closure in place for safety reasons following the major landslide off Leeson Road at Bonchurch has been shortened. Back in December 2023, a devastating landslide hit the Bonchurch area resulting in a huge section of the coastline falling away. This left Leeson Road vulnerable, prompting its immediate closure to all traffic. But now the closure looks set to be shortened to allow walkers access to the locality. The move, agreed by the Isle of Wight Council and Island Roads, has seen the car park at the far end of Smugglers Haven re-opened and the barriers moved enough to allow walkers access to Nansen Hill and onto the downs. The car park is not in an area geological experts believe may be at risk of movement. However, the road closure remains in effect from the signs lower down Leeson Road at the junction with Bonchurch Shute. This will remain shut until the necessary ground investigations have been completed. The data from this investigation will be considered, along with the data from the recently installed monitoring equipment, to decide on the safety implications of re-opening the road. Michelle Love, service director for highways and community protection, said:
“The road closure is in place to allow for the monitoring equipment to record sufficient data to allow Island Roads and the council to make an informed decision about the safe reopening of the road in the future. “The situation is under constant review however and, after careful consideration, we are now pleased to be able to provide access to the car park and Nansen Hill. “While this will have no major impact on traffic movement through the area, it does however open up walking opportunities along popular routes. “While we know residents and visitors will make use of this renewed access, we would like to remind people to be aware of their surroundings and not put themselves, or others, at risk while they explore areas around the Island.’’
A meeting is to be held next week (Tuesday 14th May) at St Catherine’s Church in Ventnor to update concerned residents and locals on the current state of not just the Leeson Road slip, but also the Eastern Esplanade plans.
Most people rightly ignored the barriers anyway and used their own initiative.
By all means put up signs etc so the council can’t be sued, but let people use common sense if they wish.
That would be fine if people had common sense but unfortunately there are too many that don’t. Its also very selfish disregarding the safety barrier – they are not only putting themselves at risk but should anything happen they are putting others at risk. I live along this road so why can’t everyone just be patient and wait and see what the outcome of the analysis is. We can then rightly moan if it has to close and an alternative is needed. It is an arterial road after all and the government should be involved (whichever is in power!) to get this open again. The same arguments are now getting very boring…….
Quite agree about lack of common sense, though it doesn’t help when excessive restrictions are put in place because it undermines the credibility of the necessary ones and encourages people to use their common sense (or, more accurately, lack thereof).
You are, however, making the mistake of assuming that this analysis will actually be completed in any of our lifetimes.
Even if it is, now that the closure is in place, IR and IWCC have absolutely no incentive to reopen it. In fact the likely cost is a very good reason not to do so (as evidenced by Undercliff Drive)
Personally , and only my opinion, I think it is in their best interests to look at reopening if feasible, given the coach and tourist traffic that use this road. Tourism is vital for the island and the south side plays a big part. The geology is different to the Undercliff and as such a different set of factors are involved. The one thing that is frustrating is the lack of information being provided around timescales and I’m not assuming we will get any information anytime soon!
But, how long are you prepared to wait?
A month? Several months? Several years?
Unfortunately as this is out of all of our hands we have to wait for as long as it takes – hence the patience statement and knowing how the island works lol it will be the next millennium..!
I don’t agree on your assumption that you consider everyone to have no common sense. Just because 1 dog owner was careless at a cliff top, doesn’t make all dog owners stupid. How can a visiting walker be classified as selfish and put others at risk and yet people residing in the area as not? May you live in your chosen location for many years to come and people frequently visit, as it still remains an area of outstanding beauty. But don’t raise your hopes. They’ll be no government funding to reopen the road. What happened in December is irreversible. The seismic analysing is not to work out a problem and how much to fix it. It is to locate the weakest fault and calculate the amount of time until the next slip and evacuate everyone.
I think you will find that I didn’t say everyone only many do not have common sense and made no mention of a dog owner – I am one! The road is closed to everyone so anyone that enters that area is selfish as they put others at risk if they need help. The size of the slip was unexpected and unprecedented. Do you make the same comments to those that live in flood areas as well? Decisions can only be made when data is available and from your comments we can assume you are part of the contractor team of consultants that knows what is being analysed! I want the road open as much as everyone but as stated a bit of patience is needed and it would be nice to hear some new arguments as the old ones are continually being repeated.
People? With common sense, who walk across areas of clay and mud and get stuck?
Why not allow cars but not large vehicles one way access, that would relieve Wroxhall and upper Ventnor….It would also help local businesses in Ventnor..
And are you going to man a barrier 24/7 letting cars through but not other vehicles? What about some of these massive SUVs that weigh more than some vans? Maybe you could install a weighbridge?
Your suggestion is totally lacking in practicality.
Or traffic lights either end so only one lane used but still keep buses on the Wroxall route or single deckers. The way things are the volume of traffic will soon cause closure Wroxall route at this rate and would then see ventnor cut off completely.
Seeing as waiting for a support for a tree Whitwell way will probably take another 6 months
Unless a complete underground mapping survey has been done along the road and surrounding area, who knows what could be under there, could be big caverns and voids which could collapse with any weight. Best not to risk it.
to allow Island Roads and the council to make an informed decision they haven’t got a clue Island Roads are tarmacing roads which don’t need doing and the ones which need doing badly Island Roads say they are fine as far as the island Council where do I start
Open road all the way for walkers and cyclists, big notice saying ” danger of land slippage, at your own risk( but don’t drag your dog into it) ” they don’t permanently close the beach at Culver, or the revetment which has continued cliff a d rockfalls
Just like the Undercliff, this road will never re-open.
Surely a punitive weight restriction, policed byCCTV could be in place now if, as believe, the cliff is 100’ from the road. At least some residents would benefit. If we had decent roads it would reduce vibration and risk of another landslide.