A petition to get the changes to Ryde Esplanade to go through the planning process has been rejected despite one councillor calling the scheme ‘sheer vandalism’.
Being presented to the full Isle of Wight Council on Wednesday, residents against the Ryde Interchange project had banded together to stop the work from getting ‘bulldozed through’ under permitted development rights, without the need for planning permission.
It had been signed by more than 2,500 people.
Speaking on behalf of Cathy Foulkes, Bob White said the proposed highway changes, including more traffic lights, would make the Esplanade less safe and more congested. He said:
“It is not an improvement and it will not enhance the Ryde environment. It is absurd, in 2021, for anyont to introduce new traffic lights that are unnecessary.”
Mr White said it was an unsustainable carbuncle that would ruin Ryde’s reputation and he hoped something different could be done to achieve more of the town’s objectives.
Cabinet member for transport and infrastructure, Councillor Phil Jordan, said the motion was undeliverable, impractical and not appropriate. He said there were many aspects of the scheme that did not require planning permission so would never be granted but where changes needed to be made that required permission, the council would always make proper applications.
The work, Cllr Jordan said, was not under permitted development rights but under highway improvement rules and regulations.
Former cabinet member for infrastructure and transport, Councillor Ian Ward, said Ryde Interchange was part of a bigger scheme, involving Hampshire and Portsmouth, to help people and traffic move through the area as quickly as possible. Cllr Ward said he had been at the council long enough to see the previous interchange scheme fall through and it just seemed like people did not want change to happen.
Cllr Peter Sprink spoke in favour of the petition and said as a democratic council, it should listen to 2,500 people.
Disagreeing with the scheme, which would see the public toilets and cafe at Western Gardens be demolished, Councillor Vanessa Churchman said she found it sheer vandalism to destroy the area. She said she had never had a problem with traffic in the area and could not see any justification for altering the road layout.
Councillor Julie Jones-Evans said it was good the petition had come forward but was slightly misleading as it is a separate planning process and any significant adverse effects to the environment had not been proved. She said the Island needed to embrace it and see it as improving a very important gateway to Ryde, with regeneration in the area just beginning.
Saying he was sitting on the fence, Councillor Daryll Pitcher said he disagreed with the scheme and viewed it as a good excuse for the council to spend a lot of money that would not benefit the Island, but from a procedural point of view, the scheme did not fall under the planning process so the petition was askew.
5 councillors voted in favour, however, 26 voted against with one abstention, which saw the petition fall.
A report of all the responses to the council’s consultation will come to the cabinet’s meeting in October where the latest plans for the scheme, which are being minorly altered, will be presented.
And, go be quite honest, what else do you expect of the beloved council that we have? Nothing.
Put them all on Floatie, tow them out and, over to the Royal Navy.
Idiotic scheme. Totally unnecessary.
I think local elections should be once a year, so all the councillors who don’t listen to the people who voted them in, can do one.
Come on all you people who were openly rejoicing when this Council were elected, telling us how things were going to be different now, a breath of fresh air etc etc, what do you think now? Seems like the same old thing to me, just under a different name. Thousands of objections to a scheme? Just ignore them and do what you want.
It’s even worse than the last lot, and I didn’t think that was possible at all.
It wouldn’t make any difference if it was millions, they always ignore and do what they were going to do anyway.
Bigger scheme, move vehicles more quickly, involves hamps and pompy, maybe the tunnel entrance is close by???
Official vandalism of the highest order.
They are only doing this because the money is coming out of a different pot.
Don’t fix it if it ain’t broke ! We like it like it is. This council are behaving like some sort of dictatorship, don’t they realise that they are just mere servants and are elected to serve and not ride rough shot over Joe public. Just because they “think” that they know best. How patronising are these people ! Disgrace !
More waste of money, will ruin Ryde esplanade, about time local views were listened to and respected instead of lip service and still go ahead
Sadly they never listen. It’s horrible now when compared how it used to be, which was quite charming with its gardens and ornamental fountain or whatever it was all separated from the pavement by a little decorative low wall. They got rid of all of that & made it more ‘modern’ & more like the mainland, now they think it needs to move with the times again and become even more like the mainland. Horrible beyond belief. Maybe the idiotic council think it will make visitors from cities feel more at home. People come here to get away from all of that, not to see it here as well, with all that entails. RETURN IT TO HOW IT WAS 60 YRS AGO
Councillor Phil Jordan, said the motion was undeliverable, impractical and not appropriate.
no phil – it is the project that is undeliverable, impractical and not appropriate.
how someone who has a drink driving conviction gets to be transport councillor is a joke and sums up the councils mental ability – they are not fit for purpose.
https://www.islandecho.co.uk/councillor-jordan-sentenced-for-being-twice-the-drink-drive-limit/
You didn’t mention he is councillor for Ryde North West with a responsibility to represent the views of his area.
When was the coup? Did i miss it? We seem to be living in a tin pot dictatorship .
I always thought Governments worked for the people, people vote them in… but then they turn around and work against the people.
Good example making Newport a city. Ryde would be a better proposal, Ryde has links with mainland, Ryde has many areas for entry via roads, Ryde has more people, Ryde is bigger than Newport. Ryde does not have Coppin’s Bridge . Believe it or not Ryde is much cleaner than Newport, more tourists visit Ryde than Newport.
So can someone enlighten me as to WHY would anyone be proud to say they come from the city of Newport.. It is a dump !! What does it have for Tourists..???
What a total waste of money, it’s fine as it is .Many people against this stupid idea, it will ruin Ryde.