The Isle of Wight Local Access Forum are supporting the proposed introduction of a greater number of quiet roads across the Island to help safeguard the public using the rural road network.
29 different roads have been identified by parish and town councils, local organisations and individuals as being suitable for such classification.
Local authorities – in this case the Isle of Wight Council – are able to designate carriageways as ‘quiet roads’ in rural areas under the Transport Act 2000. Quite roads/lanes are sign posted as multi-use and attract a recommended 15mph speed limit.
In 2001 there was just 1 designated quiet road on the Isle of Wight, with that number increasing to 3 by 2006.
Mark Earp, Chairman of the Isle of Wight Local Access Forum, has told Island Echo:
“The IW LAF supports the further introduction of quiet lanes across the Isle of Wight in an attempt to safeguard the public using rural road networks from ever increasing volumes of motorised vehicles, including speeding and reckless drivers.
“Most of these roads are of shared use with walkers, cyclists, equestrians and livestock movements.
“The IW LAF believes that there needs to be greater respect for all road users on the Isle of Wight and therefore supports the initiative originally proposed by Cllr Medland of Totland and supported by Cllr Hobart of Carisbrooke.
Article continues below this advertisement “There have been numerous incidents in recent years and quiet lanes are one of several ways to protect all road users in the rural areas of the Isle of Wight”.
Potential Quiet Lanes/Roads on the Isle of Wight:
• Berry Lane, Chillerton
• Burnt House Lane, Newport
• Clatterford Shute, Carisbrooke
• Cridmore Lane, Chillerton
• Doctors Lane Gatcombe
• Froglands Lane, Carisbrooke
• Gatcombe Village Road/Newbarn Lane, Gatcombe
• Kingates Lane, Niton
• Lessland Lane, Godshill
• Loverstone Lane, Chillerton
• Marvel Lane, Newport
• Millers Lane, Carisbrooke
• Nettlecombe Lane, Whitwell
• Newnham Lane, Binstead
• Nunnery Lane, Carisbrooke
• Palmers Lane/Skinners Hill, Newchurch
• Pound Lane, Calbourne
• Quay Lane, Brading
• Rectory Lane, Gatcombe
• Redhill Lane, Wroxall
• Rill Lane, Chillerton
• Roslin Lane, Chillerton
• Rowlands Lane, Ryde
• Sandy Lane, Newport
• Snowdrop Lane, Gatcombe
• Strawberry Lane, Brighstone
• Undercliff Drive, Niton
• Wellow Top Road, Wellow
• Warlands Lane, Shalfleet
What about all the polution caused by vehicles grinding along in second gear?
perhaps they want to take everyone back to the days of the horse and cart. Not everyone wants to live their lives at a snails pace.
they use the words “safeguarding the public” as their way of justifying the decisions they are making, which gives an impression that their “access forum” is needed, whereas the reality is that it isn’t and they are just another bunch of interfering busy bodies, trying to run peoples lives for them.
how about they spend council tax payers money getting the bins emptied regularly, the pot holes fixed and the tip and recycling centres free of charge, which will stop the vast majority of fly tipping instead of paying out for people to attend meetings, to dream up this sort of stuff.
Won@T have a problem with Undercliff Drive will they! More pollution and how much expense/?
better have huts at either end of those quiet roads and kids to walk in front of the cars then – back to the stone age we go
I Welcome the proposal, however it does need a red ring around the 15, AND some real enforcement, as speed enforcement on any of the Islands roads is sadly lacking I fear it will be an up-hill struggle to achieve any feeling of safety.
It’s only a recommended speed, not enforceable anyway.
you can achieve a feeling of safety by being aware of your surroundings and mindful of dangers when out and about, instead of wandering around roads that are designed for cars, expecting them to give way to you.
The roads in question were NOT designed for cars but horse-drawn carts, which is why there is also a road network that WAS and IS designed for cars. On single track roads the users on foot, horse or bike cannot feel safe at all because too many drivers use them at speeds that are too high to stop in time to avoid those they should have the brains to anticipate being around the next bend. Surely, it is those drivers you should criticise, not blame the victims of bad driving?
Those roads are included in the road network and the drivers of vehicles have PAID ROAD TAX to be able to use them. If you are not paying to use the roads, then you are not priority and must accept the fact that, there is no provision for you. Drivers are asked
as per the highway code, to take care when approaching narrow rural roads without footpaths, however, these roads are for vehicles, they are not cycle tracks or footpaths for pedestrians.
Actually it is not Road Tax it is Vehicle Excise Duty and these roads were originally designed for walkers, horses and horse drawn vehicles.
the name of the levy is irrelevant. It doesn’t matter what they were originally designed for, it is what they are used for now and who pays for these roads to be kept in a good state of repair – those paying ROAD TAX, thats who.
The road in the picture is now designated for vehicular use and even has the white lines painted on a surface, that has been laid down for vehicle use.
You want equal treatment on a road, then pay to use it.
Sorry, vehicle taxes alone would not even begin to cover the total cost of highway maintenance. Highway maintenance is paid for from a variety of sources; local taxes, vat, central government grants being some.
The reality is, that anyone who pays taxes of any kind, pays toward highway maintenance. Therefore we all have equal rights to road use, roads are not for the exclusive use of inconsiderate motorists.
Pedestrians have the right to use roads, and do so in safety. Inconsiderate motorists who think they can disregard the safety of pedestrians, are sadly mistaken.
What about us delivery drivers that have to use some of them otherwise we would never to the destination on time due to roadworks ect. its ok if you are retired and i am sure you will all agree with this proposal, get real!
You allow a few more minutes for each journey and use the roads designed to accommodate delivery vehicles (other than for access to delivery addresses) and drive at the speeds that single track roads were designed for when on those, maybe? If you’re saying you use lanes at speeds significantly greater than the recommended 15mph of a quiet road then I’m afraid that you are one of the drivers that IWCHA seeks to deter from using unsuitable roads.
The council can afford rubbish like this, but can’t keep the public loos open.
Must be a load of councilers live on the listed roads
What about Beatrice Avenue Whippingham down to St Mildred’s Church! This road is constantly used by cyclists, dog walkers, runners & horse riders. And yet cars drive down here at all speeds & well over 50mph or more!
Merryl Lane Godshill should be on this list. Try walking down there avoiding speeding cars.
If some of you drivers were to read the Highway Code Rule 206 states
Drive carefully and slowly when, approaching pedestrians on narrow rural roads without a footway or footpath. Always slow down and be prepared to stop if necessary, giving them plenty of room as you drive past.
How about the road down to Island Harbour, in Binfield, to become a quiet road? It’s quite wide but there’s no pavements or cycle lanes.