A notoriously dangerous crossroads on the outskirts of Newport is set to be transformed – potentially into a roundabout – as a result of action by the Isle of Wight Council to purchase land.
It was 4-and-a-half years ago, in April 2019, that a local woman was killed and several others were seriously hurt at Vittlefields Cross, when cars and a bus were involved in a collision. The major incident prompted calls for action, as it was deemed that then 18-year-old Yaashmi Ravikumar – who was eventually sentenced to 2 years and 4 months’ detention in a young offender’s institution – failed to stop at a give way line.
Earlier this year 74-year-old Carol Buckett received 5 penalty points for causing a crash at the same junction. There have been a number of incidents at the crossroads over the years.
Now, the Isle of Wight Council is making moves to buy land so it can change the position of a hedge to improve visibility, at the junction of Forest Road, Whitehouse Road and Betty Haunt Lane.
The idea was first approved in January 2021, leading the Isle of Wight coroner to say it did not do enough to prevent future deaths, nor significantly improve safety.
In response, to Caroline Sumeray’s comments, County Hall said it was ‘committed to fund’ reviews, junction design ideas and the construction of a new layout at Vittlefields Cross, with both short and long-term options being considered.
Skid-resistant surfacing has been installed and further work, on the new land, will be complete before the end of March, subject to the purchase process,
However, details of what the local authority plans to do there are yet to be released.
The Council previously considered installing traffic lights at the crossroads, after a 7,000-strong petition, but ruled that out, saying it could increase the risk of rear-end shunts.
An Island Roads report has said a roundabout would be the best option, bringing what it said would be a 50% drop in accidents at Vittlefields and ‘significantly’ less chance of fatal or serious injury accidents.
Cutting hedges back isn’t going to be enough. This junction is beyond dangerous and needs traffic lights to slow them down coming from Yarmouth way. How many more crashes will it take.
Perhaps if only true locals were living here then less accidents would happen.
As locals know that there is no need to drive as fast as possible on a small island as due to the physical size the time’saved’ by risking your own and others lives is not worth saving ten minutes at best.
As modern cars have really efficient engines, good sound proofing, better breaks, driving to the max seems safe until some idiot unexpectedly pulls out on you.
And importing impatient drivers has forced such upon us all now
I agree with what your saying but if you pull out in front of someone who’s doing 30mph the outcome could also be fatal. Visibility at the junction, warning signs, traffic lights? Something needs doing.
I forgot only true locals are the safest drivers on the island, how silly of me to think otherwise you nut job.
Yeah coz everywhere is improved if confined to xenophobic old prats
Reducing speed on the island will save lives.
Wales and London are already on the case reducing speed limits
that saves lives.
The Island is always behind the times when it comes to
common sense and safety.
Come on Mr Jordan, make Island Roads safe for everyone.
Make everybody safe if you stop running around with your pecker out
i see your out of bed now
Ha wales and London are just out to rip motorists off its all just a stelth tax
Coming to the Island soon, get ready guys
That will put a stop to the D’Heads in their ST’s
it’s not the ST D’Heads it’s the D’Head island drivers you must remember it’s the mainland drivers that are in danger from you lot
About bl00dy time they did something about that junction…
But why is a 50% reduction in accidents acceptable ??
That would suggest that they consider further deaths to be acceptable…
About time ,it should have been done many moons ago
I can’t see this working cut hedges back to the view better but it’s that dip in the road that is the problem they comes up out of the dip to fast and you don’t stand a chance traffic lights or even out the road from Yarmouth way so you can see what’s coming at you
If the hump in the road was dug off on the Yarmouth side of the junction the visibility would be massively improved for starters , then move the whole section of road slightly further south away from the hedges of house!
Rather than trying to idiot proof the isle of wight of all things, (good luck with that) try improving your driving standards, that doesn’t mean lower speed limits , it means open your bloody eyes, and drive according to the situation you find yourself in.
Revise the hedges for a better view, the rest is down to the myopic idiots behind the wheel.
Totally agree with you. The recent accidents were caused by drivers pulling out without stopping and taking the time to look properly. It isn’t rocket science, stop, look. Traffic coming, don’t pull out. Traffic not coming, safe to go. Speed has absolutely nothing to do with it.
People who can’t drive properly are dangerous, not road layouts.
What is it with our Council,if they want something like electric cars,new boiler,Air con etc in County Hall it’s done within weeks . Yet taken 5yrs,yes 5yrs ,a death, imprisoned and other accidents costing thousands and maybe a plan in another 6mths. In that time thousands more vehicles along that junction and possible death. Yes speed is issue and driver,but wasted so much on St Marys ( when roundabout was flattened and you could see across at other vehicles entering etc it was good and no need for traffic lights) yet road safety across the Island is not !. Beaper Shute,Race Course, Middle Road, Military Road ,Ryde Esplanade etc.
Please I’m begging you not another roundabout that people don’t know how to use, traffic lights is the answer
So traffic lights will cause shunts but a roundabout, that no-one knows how to use, won’t???
It needs an enforced speed limit drop also or you’ll just get the “I can drive along there at 50mph quite safely” comments.
It is a step forward but I don’t think it would be long before someone gets rear ended on Forest Road if you are sitting there giving way from the right…
Hang on, if 2 people have been convicted of dangerous driving, or causing a serious collision then it’s them that was the problem. I know the junction well being a driving examiner, and we use that road frequently. It’s not the nicest of junctions to pull out and turn right towards Newport, but as long as the driver gets on and gets up to a safe speed as quickly as possible (ie 45 to 50mph) checks mirrors once straightened up to ensure a car isn’t closing in fast then there shouldn’t be a problem. Too many people pull out slowly or fail to accelerate causing others to brake or slow down.
Whatever the experts decide, if it prevents more serious accidents then it’s worth the change or layout. I hope the standard of driving picks up here.
“It’s not the nicest of junctions to pull out and turn right towards Newport, but”…
But…
It’s a hell of a lot worse trying to turn left, or go straight over!!
(But I suppose you don’t take your learners that way)
The problem is looking but not seeing. Drivers have no idea of a travelling vehicles speed
And as was posted before dont turn into a busy road then dawdle at 20 mph but reach normal road speed asap .
But looking without seeing seems to be the norm here
30mph speed cameras will pay for the a roundabout. at the end of the day it’s all down to drivers speeding
For a small island there are far too many vehicles on the road
Pollution on the island is getting worse.
What is the IW Council doing to get old Diesel vehicles off the roads.
London have the right idea for dealing with pollution
Any Diesel Vehicle over a certain age needs to start paying additional
Fees to be on the Road.
EVs can be purchased quite cheaply thesedays.
There are no excuses
So take the chance of your battery exploding! Only a matter of time until these vehicles are labelled as unsafe, then what will you all do! Pollution levels are due to the number of people who now live over here, soon we won’t be able to drive at a reasonable speed, just in one huge traffic queue!
I do agree about reducing pollution, however, you mention that EV’s can be purchased ‘quite cheaply’… what kind of figure did you have in mind? ‘cheap’ is a relative term depending on people’s personal circumstances!
“it’s all down to drivers speeding”.
No!..
“Speeding” would imply breaking the speed limit.. which is 60 there
“Inappropriate speed”,… Probably the cause of some of the accidents..
, but speed cameras wouldn’t help.
Bob one needs a number two
I think there are worse junctions on the Island. Surely more signage is a useful answer.
All sorts of bad driving takes place at mini roundabouts.
Is there a safe junction on the Island?
Even where there are traffic lights, no fcuker Stops at them!
People should learn how to drive.
Thats where the problem lay, the driving instructors never learnt to drive properly in the first place and now pass on their bad road sense to pupils.
Of course Island Roads would advocate a roundabout over traffic lights, they stand to make more money out the work involved. If rear end shunts are such a risk why did they replace St Mary’s roundabout with lights? What makes them think people will still stop and give way at a roundabout if they can’t stop at a road junction. Traffic lights are what is needed.
I absolutely cannot abide modified popping cars, they race along that road & look like troglodytes drug driving breed.
Is this going to be a proper roundabout or a painted disc in the middle of the road that most islanders will ignore, as they do in Apse Heath
Intelligent traffic lights. The cheapest and best option .
Intelligent drivers would be better