A petition to force the Isle of Wight Council to go through the planning process before changes are made to the highways on Ryde Esplanade has hit 1,000 signatures.
The council had previously hit back at the petition saying it failed to recognise the improvements the scheme will bring. It said residents should be assured the authority has followed planning procedures properly.
It comes after the decision to start the scheme was deferred by the council’s cabinet following comments about the lack of opportunity to share views and concerns opinions would not be taken into account about the scheme.
The 6-week consultation on the highways part of the £10m scheme comes to an end next Tuesday (3rd August) with the authority saying there is still time to shape some of the key elements of the Ryde Transport Interchange.
The council is involved in remodelling the bus station, creating a new road layout with a new access to the pier and the way buses go out of the town as well as cycle route and more pedestrianised, public areas.
However, the petition, started by local businesswoman and former member of the Ryde Regeneration Group, Cathy Foulkes, is trying to encourage the council to go through the planning process before putting into action the proposals that she says will cause danger to pedestrians and significantly increase congestion and pollution.
Another voice against the proposals is retired transport planner, Bob White, who described one aspect of the designs — the exit of the pier road with the merging of Esplanade traffic and a pedestrian traffic — as ‘the fatal flaw’.
Mr White said that one detail will create addition danger, congestion and sever the train station from Western Gardens for pedestrians and cyclists.
Speaking of the petition’s milestone, Cathy said that providing no consultation opportunity on the major changes was a failure of communication by the council.
She said:
“After receiving criticism that my strong objections to it were ‘just a matter of taste’, within three weeks 35,800 people have taken an interest and 750 have felt strongly enough to share the petition.
“It all indicates there would be strong support to move to seek a judicial review to defend Ryde seafront from this appalling proposal.”
When the consultation first started, residents were confused over what they could comment on with the focus seemingly being on the public realm and decisions like the colour of railings and benches. The council has since clarified comments on all aspects of the highways scheme are welcome.
The council say the scheme was developed after speaking with the Ryde Regeneration Group which has representatives from key groups in the town like the town council, business association and Ryde Society.
The decision whether to implement the scheme will be made at the September cabinet meeting, or earlier if it is necessary, having taken all the comments gathered from the consultation into consideration.
You can view Cathy’s petition here: change.org/RydeEsplanadeMatters or find more about the consultation here: iow.gov.uk/Residents/Transport-Parking-and-Streets/Highways-PFI/Highway-Improvement-Schemes1.
WATCH: Last Chance For Residents To Have Their Say Over Aspects Of Ryde Interchange Design
I saw the petition, declined it, as all in all, it’s better than present.
what the council employees need to remember is that they are public servants and not dictators. If those living in and around this area as well as other islanders do not want this pointless disruption then they should take heed and adhere to the people they serve.
Those very same employees probably live on the island, shop on the island and have leisure time on the island – it would be a shame if they were stopped in the street every day and lambasted for not doing their jobs correctly and being up themselves.
the public are treated as mugs and it hasn’t changed with the new lot. the best we can hope for is to elect the odd councillor who puts up a fight and remembers why they are there. and of course decent journalists who can shine the light in the dark murky corners
Project not needed. Maybe use the money to stop people speeding down the back streets in Ryde.
Yes the unofficial racetrack in Ryde. Not a speed bump, camera, or traffic officer to be found.
The camera van in Fast Hill Road appears now and again in the morning when the speedsters are still in bed, and the other close to Ryde Golf Club usually observes the traffic queuing. Probably just doing the ANPR.
We’re just mugs again.
With each new idea it gets further away from how it used to be. It is worse now than how it used to be and they want to make it even worse again. It would be better if they could put it back to how it used to be. A proper, more traditional, little seafront. Making it too ‘modern’ and expansive takes away from the good qualities the Island used to be known for.
Agree. They want to modernise everything yet give little thought to aesthetics that the Victorians and Edwardians were very much focused on. This is Ryde’s shop window after all.
The designers (sorry planners) would do well to look at some of the old photographs for tips.
I was sat there yesterday late afternoon on one of the benches to the left of the green, it was peaceful, about 75 people chilling and chatting enjoying the space, i should have filmed it as its the view these blinkered planners don’t get, the Ryde seafront alteration is a very stupid idea as we will lose this lovely meeting point used by so many ever since the pier has been built, we are losing free green space to cars??? to many Ryde residents that do not own gardens this is their garden, the seafront is important way more important than a daft idea on graph paper, it’s only being done to unlock more funding, its very unpopular.
PLease look at those plans again , I’ve just spotted that the pavement is going to be BRIGHT GREEN..this is madness, i thought the colour code was just the pavement area but if you read it states it will be green…really in keeping with our historical front, green..how mental is that?
The so-called “consultation” scheme is so bad that it is difficult to imagine that a competent urban design consultant has been involved. It is a typical highway engineer’s layout, showing no respect for the Ryde Conservation Area and the numerous listed buildings, let alone sustainable transport objectives. There are much better alternatives, ones that require the input of all parties to bring to fruition. As for the area needing to be improved, that is true up the point of wanton destruction being proposed as is currently the case. Stand up Historic England and help to save and shape Ryde seafront!
Newly elected council, following standard Public Office procedure. Ignore the electorate.