With more people starting to take to the roads as the coronavirus restrictions are eased, motorists are being reminded that new lane arrangements are in place on Medina Way in Newport.
The arrangements are being trialled by the Isle of Wight Council to see if vehicle flows on Medina Way and Coppins Bridge at Newport can be improved.
They were brought into place on 16th March – just prior to lockdown being introduced with the resulting significant decrease in vehicle movements.
Now, as road use is increasing, both the Council and Island Roads are reminding motorists of the changes.
Kevin Burton, Island Roads’ network manager, says:
“It is possible that as restrictions ease, then motorists will be coming across the new lane marking for the first time.
“We are keen to once again highlight the fact that the trial arrangement is in place and also ask motorist to look out for – and obey – the relevant markings and signage.”
Island Roads continues to monitor feedback on the scheme but more detailed evaluation will begin once traffic flows return to their customary levels. The Isle of Wight Council will decide whether to keep the new arrangements, tweak the layout again or to revert to the original markings based on the evaluation.
It seems that for motorists heading towards Ryde, either via Fairlee Road or Staplers Road, it is quicker travelling down Medina Way and to their destination.
Details on the new trial arrangements can be found at www.islandroads.com.
Coppins Bridge is a bottle neck, has been for many a year and unless you can take 40% of the traffic using it away, it will always be a bottle neck no matter how you arrange the use of lanes.
Forgot, what with all the new housing building going on and being planned, there is going to be even more traffic using it.
Gridlock awaits ! ! !
It’s a better system but still a little confusing as you drive over the lane markings.
On the left it says:
THE
DOWNS
and on the right
SAN
DOWN
Not a very clear distinction when you’re moving and have a vehicle in front of you.
confusing for a island driver. OK right lane is Sandown the left is the downs. ITS sign posted
But what if you are not an Island driver? What the hell are The Downs and where are they? More sense if it said Staplers.
New traffic arrangement? You mean revert to what it was originally when first built!
Could you also remind %99 of drivers it is a 30mph speed limit at the moment .
There is a problem with the new markings that will get worse when the traffic increases. The right hand lane is now the busier lane and backs up. If this lane backs up to the ‘Currys’ slip road, traffic from the slip road will enter the left lane and then wait to get into the right lane, thereby blocking all lanes! Plus the backlog will increase on the slip road. More planning me thinks!
Meanwhile, up at St Mary’s……………….,,!!
This works better and always did!
Never had a problem with delays at Coppins Bridge….only occasionally on the dual carriageway from Cowes direction…and drivers taking the Town Centre lane then cutting in to the left after overtaking (l always keep close to the car in front to block them!) A solid white line would have helped!
Then Liz it appears that you are now one of the problem drivers.
The old Town Center lane is now the Sandown lane, if you’re in the left lane you’re heading to Staplers, drive round to Sandown and you are now creating the danger.
we know island drivers need help at roundabouts but can we not just do away with the lights
Makes it very difficult if you come out of Curries and want to go to Sandown/Ventnor. You now have to cross the Ryde/ The Downs lane and there is insufficient distance between where you join the dual carriageway at Currys and the box junction meaning you have to delay the Ryde traffic.
Don’t worry all this money spent on st Mary’s round about will solutions all our problems
Its not that hard. I mean, in the context of navigating (now that
s a word) the Hanger Lane Gyratory its not even a junction. Ryde that lane, Sandown other lane, easy. Downs? well we must all know that means at leasthillsso were not going intoTown(are we?) . Having said that, i have witnessed more than several times, a near collision, along with lots of hooting as some vehicles get to the roundabout and the driver discovers they are in the wrong lane. Bit likeHanger lane` i suppose without the speed.