Controversial plans for the biggest change to Ryde Esplanade in decades were given the go-ahead at last night’s Isle of Wight Council meeting of leading cabinet members – despite only 4 councillors being present.
Work on the Interchange is due to begin at the start of next year and will see Ryde Bus Station remodelled, a new access road to the Wightlink-owned pier and a signalled crossing installed at the bottom of George Street.
Following a full review of responses to the council’s rather late consultation, 20 changes were made to the highways scheme which included losing some parking, installing traffic-calming features and retention of the much-loved Tulip Tree. However, the layout as a whole stays the same.
Ryde residents have been up in arms about the fact that locals were not consulted in the early stages of the project, with the overall layout of the new interchange decided by just a few selected individuals. Objectors say ‘all the major failings, including those of safety, congestion and discrimination’ remain’.
One of the major points of contention is the demolition of the public toilets and cafe at Western Gardens. The Isle of Wight Council says this has partially been done to allow visitors from the mainland a view of the town up Union Street, which is currently blocked by the building.
Ryde Town Council are supportive of the removal of the public toilets as it will save them in excess of £30,000 a year.
Although plans have not yet been unveiled by South Western Railway for the revamp of the train station, Cllr Jordan said toilets and a cafe provision will be included. However, the building is not set to be demolished and replaced – instead it will be treated to a long-overdue paint job.
Speaking at the cabinet meeting, Councillor Phil Jordan, member for infrastructure and transport, said:
“We said when we did the consultation we would listen to people and we have been able to do that within the funding parameters.
“The list is evident of the changes to the benefit of the community, asked for by people responding to the consultation.”
Councillor Julie Jones-Evans, cabinet member for regeneration, said:
“This is a new chapter in the transport area of Ryde and as an administration, we welcome the new facilities for walking and cycling and improved buses.
“This has to be good for the whole Island and transport.”
The £10 million Ryde Gateway scheme is being funded by the Department for Transport to improve connectivity and will also see work done by Wightlink to the former tramway pier and South Western Railway to the Esplanade train station.
The project is now said to be on a ‘very tight timeframe’, with all aspects of the connectivity scheme needing to be completed by April 2023.
Final designs will be approved by just 1 man – the Council’s director of neighbourhoods.
Idiots. There’s not even any parking for the busses anymore. Yes, there are bus stops but where do the busses park up?
Another fine example of bad decision affecting our lives for decades.
Just like st marys roundabout, we will be reminiscing of the days when it all worked better.
With the added bonus of more bloomin unneeded and unwanted traffic lights holding us all up and using up more fuel.
Very sad day for our beloved historic seafront that has brought enjoyment and a place to relax to so many for over a century, RIP Ryde seafront, whatever next are the goons going to destroy?
To think how actually bad it is now compared to how it used to be, and now unbelievable that they are going to make it even worse again. Totally sick of how this Island has gone over the years, Wish to God I could move and go to live somewhere more to my liking, but that wouldn’t even be in this country anymore.
the buses won’t park at ryde anymore – they are modelling this on the way the portsmouth interchange works – that buses are timed to arrive and depart from the same bays. Our councillors are incapable of original thought.
these clueless councillors need removing from office – they haven’t a clue about anything other than their own self importance.
they were elected to oversee the administrative functions of the island – not destroy the character of it, with an unwanted and expensive joke of a development, approved by buffoons.
I am guessing the quality of life for the residents of the esplanade or the business owners, doesn’t matter
Guess you have never been to Newport Bus station then..
It’s a disgrace that Ryde Town Council support removal of public toilets in a popular area. They will probably spend the money on some unnecessary street light decoration.
Railway toilets will probably be for customers only.
There’s a lot of people who don’t go out now, because they are anxious about not being able to find and use a toilet. It’s a disgrace how councils get away with closing them.
And regards your comment about gay activity and vandals, there are a lot of other countries who manage to design public toilets which deter this.
What a waste of £10,000,000.00
and next year they will have the cheek to increase our Council Tax.
I have no time for this Council
The money is coming from a grant from central government, not the islands coffers
Well done to the idiots at the council wasting more money and destroying ryde why couldn’t they just give the current bus station some tlc yes it’s old but it’s what a lot of visitors know and love
6 months to reconfigure Small Brooke roundabout, and just 12 months to complete Ryde Interchange. Really?? …
Was the absence of Councillors Covid related, or those against the plans?
The small brook roundabout is MORE about getting the infra structure in place for Pennyfeathers, not just carving a larger circle out of mud and a few roots. That could be done in three weeks by normal means.
Less uproar IF they can fool the public it is all for ‘their’ safety and benefit. Hence THINK is my name.
In many senses this is a good idea, the buses will not have to reverse to leave the station, does not seem as though enough room if all buses come in at once though.. what about the people that own or run the cafe?? Pushing them out of work ?
How about the green area, that has sign stating NO MOTOR VEHICLES, yet every year it is covered by scooterists, will they still be allowed there ? What about the drunks and druggies, where will they hang out.. Was this ok’d by the same idiot that got the floating bridge ?
Show them they care by demonstrating against it- there’s 5 months to go? Anyone with me?
I went again to the meeting to make our point and it was a crying shame unskilled laypeople have this decision when it takes highly skilled Town planners to understand all the elements.
Hence every week a different explanation: Now they say the toilets and cafe must go because visitors can’t see up our historic high street! You really couldn’t make it up.
Last week it was they must go because it allowed buses to park parallel to the road to cut journey times by 1 minute.
The month before that it was because the RYde community groups want it!
When and where and I’m there….pitch forks at the ready.
So basically they are building the bus company a new station with TAX payers money. What happened to companies being separate from government standing on their own two feet.
Give it a few months after completion, and then compare the pretty artists impressions (see above) with the reality.
Most PC, and most inaccurate ‘impression’ which Picasso would be proud of. With no rubbish, graffit, druggies, drunks and skanks and non threat persons in the ‘image’ it is more fiction than reality.
Just add it to the list of catastrophes. Floating bridge, no trains for months Appley sink hole, the list goes on.The bus station area needed a lick of paint bit of an upgrade. That’s it.
Can’t wait to watch visitors and locals doing the “I’m busting for a pee”dance looking up the high street. This council surely couldn’t get any more stupid as they are now? Phil Jordan has stated that they would listen to people’s view – who were they, certainly not the people of a Ryde – that’s for sure.
They’d have a hell of a walk up Union Street and then the High Street to find a public lav. The junction of St John’s Road to be precise. It’s the town council who have this responsibility yet they would rather spend money on some run-down wreck of a building than provide public conveniences to locals and tourists.
I am sure ex cllr,whittle would let them use one of his many establishments along the length of the entire esplande for a triffling purchase of ten pound or more.
Those toilets in St John’s Rd are all locked up sometimes too. I can remember when there were public toilets everywhere. Used to be some in the middle of the road down on the grass island between Pavilion and Hotel Ryde Castle. I often think what it is like down there if they excavated their way back in. I seem to recall something similar in Elmfield too though not sure if that memory is a true one, but there were definitely toilets at underground level on the grass island at roundabout at bottom of Dover Street.
Ryde seafront was ruined when they built the Ice-rink/bowling alley. Regarding the new exit for the pier traffic, wtf are they thinking?
So after all this time Southwestern Railways have yet to submit any plans for the station redevelopment?
I thought the whole point of all this was to provide a intergrated transport hub?
How can they go ahead with this without any plans what so ever for the Railway station?
Take the trees away from the artist impression and you are left with the whole area concreated over,no toliets,no cafe and traffic lights everywhere.
The laughable consultation was an insult to the people of Ryde
Agree totally
I like the pictures, Artists Impressions, so in effect the impression the Artist has as to how it will look, Not the reality of how it will look.
The council bang on caring for the environment, yet how many tons of pollution will be created in the re building of the sea front as planned.
A little bet anyone ?? it will not be completed on time, it will not come in on budget, so the council will have to subsidise the over spend, or be stuck with an incomplete project.
So you drive a number 8 from Newport to Ryde. 1hr and 50 mins I think. Where do you Pee ?
Even the bus drivers need to get off to go. So where? Down on the beach?
Of course it got the go ahead . That was NEVER in doubt regardless of what any objection or results of any consultancy (or maybe even any appeal) said. Know what I mean.