Motorists face even more travel disruption in Ryde this month as Great Preston Road – the main diversion route for Smallbrook Lane – is to be closed for 12 days.
Island Roads is undertaking works in the area to repair the deteriorated carriageway between Harding Road and Elm Close. The road has been repaired several times over the years, but now requires a full reconstruction. It means that the road will be closed, day and night, from 18th October to 29th October.
Since 4th October, Smallbrook Lane has been closed to traffic heading away from Westridge (westbound) to enable the improvement works at Smallbrook Roundabout. This has meant that traffic has been diverted along Great Preston Road towards St John’s. However, WightFibre works have meant that a one-way system has been in force, resulting in all southbound traffic diverting via Marlborough Road. Furthermore, motorists have been unable to turn right out of Smallbrook Lane to Westridge Junction – despite there being no obstruction.
From 18th, all traffic will have to use High Park Road or Marlborough Road when travelling through the area, with Smallbrook Lane remaining closed in one direction until April next year. It’s unclear if the one-way restriction on the Westridge end of Great Preston Road will be removed in time.
Harding Road will be closed at the junction with Great Preston Road to stop motorists using Oakfield as a diversion route. However, the intention is to re-open this junction once works have moved along.
Island Roads say that work will be taking place between 07:30-18:00 on weekdays, but there will be a 24-hour closure in place between Carlton Road and St John’s Hill. No on-street parking will be permitted and additional parking restrictions will be in force on Carlton Road and Victoria Crescent.
Local residents are being advised to ensure that all kerbside waste is placed at the side of the road before 07:00 to enable an early collection.
You can rely on Island roads and the ?ightfibre double act o cause maximum disruption.
Smallbrook lane is only being closed so as infrastructure can be installed for Penny Feathers development aka ruination. It has little to do with the roundabout, that is just a red herring to quell the complaining, which IF the truth were told, would be greater.
IF something unacceptable is done in the ‘name’ of pulic safety, or environmentally good, then it is hard for people to complain, AND the council/developers know it.
I wonder if Island Roads really has any idea what it is doing, why on earth are they working on the Smallbrook Roundabout and Great Preston road at the same time it is just Stupid!
Anyone coming up Smallbrook Lane gets to the top goes to turn right but no there are barriers there with no work happening so people just drive around the barriers. The IOW Council really needs to get a grip on what Island Road are planning to do and talk some sense into them.
No idea why you can’t turn right at top of Smallbrook Lane, just making everything worse. I observed an Island Roads lorry swerve around the barriers then carried on through the lights which were on red, turned onto Brading Road neatly avoiding the traffic coming across from Bullen Road. Law unto themselves.
Totally agree why on earth are you not allowed to turn right at the top of Smallbrook lane, as there’s no work on that section of road.
Then there’s 4 way traffic lights by St John’s church on the diversion route, you couldn’t make it up. Who on this IOW dreams up this nonsense with so must work on all connecting roads.
Smallbrook lane is closed to all road users from Great Preston Road but obviously that doesn’t include cyclists who are still going down there as they just do what they want.
Everyone understands that roads needs to be closed at certain times for repairs etc but why is every job allowed by the council to take so long, in the first week of smallbrook junction improvements all they did was put out cones and temporary lights, no wonder it will take six months, give them 8 weeks max and work overnight
The total incompetence of Island Roads, Wight Fibre, the council and Phil Jordan is a sight to behold. 4 way stop from East hill road to add to the absolute chaos. This has to be 3rd World management, though I do believe they would do way better.
Island Roads love resurfacing roads that do not need it, and allow subsiding roads to deteriorate.
Quite correct, absolute chaos with the temporary traffic lights. At teatime last night it gridlocked for a while.
Any councillor care to explain why IWCC appear to have ignored their legal obligation to coordinate works and minimise disruption rather than ensuring that the road rebuilding was done at the same time as the wight fibre works?
Has not the time to blockade, permanently, Island Roads fortress in Newport. WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU. BE GONE.
Don’t be silly, – they’ll be with us until the money runs out!
These clowns have put traffic lights on Easthill road and have now caused chaos and traffic jams blocking Marlborough road, Appley road,St Johns road and Alexandra road, is idiocy a prerequisite for employment with Island roads or our wonderful highways department.
Suspend the Fibre work until the other work is finished, who ever authorised all the works to be worked on at the same time needs to remember all the ‘P’s’ Poor Planning leads to Piss Poor Performance
Island Echo, please change your headline from ‘Travel Disruption’ to ‘Travel Chaos and Incompetence’