PROPOSED DOUBLE YELLOW LINES ON LEESON ROAD SPARK MIXED REACTION

Proposed double yellow lines on part of an Isle of Wight main road have been met with mixed reactions from residents, a county councillor has said.

Wroxall, Lowtherville and Bonchurch representative Mark Jefferies is on balance opposed to a planned Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) covering stretches on both sides of Leeson Road in Ventnor.

County Hall has said the measure would prevent parking and improve safety but overall feedback on the TRO has been “mixed”, Cllr Jefferies said.

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The ‘No Waiting/No Loading at Any Time’ parking restriction would be implemented on the west side between the most northern access to Smugglers Haven car park and a point 325 metres to the south.

On the east side, it would extend from the same point 287 metres southwards.

Speaking near the Devil’s Chimney, Cllr Jefferies said:

“I can see it from two points of view. I can see it from the point of view of the buses getting snarled up here. Obviously, where cars are parked there, they can’t get past.

“It is particularly worse in the morning on the school runs at the moment because the road’s closed in Wroxall and I think that’s what’s brought this TRO about.

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“On another perspective, there are people that park there, from the houses down there.”

The Alliance group independent said they would have to find alternative parking which would probably be by a bus stop down the road which could “snarl that area up”.

It would be “passing the buck and moving the problem on somewhere else,” he said.

There were mixed opinions on the TRO’s possible speeding up of traffic.

Those in support told him they do not think it will make much difference due to there being parking further down the road and that the road needs to be clear for heavy vehicles.

Cllr Jefferies said he had been leafleting about the issue, had spoken to chair of the economy, regeneration, transport and infrastructure committee, Julie Jones-Evans, and would speak at the panel to put his concerns forward.

The council’s notice for the TRO said:

“The amendments are being proposed to facilitate the passage on the road or any other road of any class of traffic (including pedestrians) and for avoiding danger to persons or other traffic using the road or any other road or for preventing the likelihood of any such danger arising.”