A 15-month project to completely transform the road layout around the transport interchange on Ryde Esplanade has been completed, but the overall scheme is a long way from completion.
It was originally said that the roadworks, which began in April 2022, would be completed by Spring 2023 with Island Roads publicising a date of 31st March. However, the completion date was pushed back 2 months to June and then pushed back further to 14th July.
George Street and the westbound carriageway of the Esplanade have finally re-opened this week though as workmen pack up their tools having successfully redeveloped the bus station, entrance to Ryde Pier and surrounding areas. This has included the installation of new traffic lights and a dedicated cycle lane.
The works haven’t been without controversy as many Ryde residents have expressed concern about how close the pedestrian crossing is to the exit of the Pier. There is also concern about how traffic will back up along the Esplanade and up Union Street at busy times. Many have said that there was no proper consultation around the plans prior to work commencing.
Although the roadworks element of the scheme has now been completed, Ryde Esplanade railway station is far from complete. A new ticket office has opened for business (although will soon be shut under Government plans) and a lick of paint has been applied to the walls. However, the new cafe, public toilets and concourse onto Ryde Pier are yet to be completed.
Once finished, members of the public will be able to enter the train station and turn left into a new cafe, continuing through the building and onto the new Ryde Pier pedestrian walkway. It is unknown when exactly the work will be finished, but it ‘should’ be completed this Summer.
Councillor Phil Jordan, Cabinet member for transport and infrastructure, has said:
“It gives me great pleasure to announce Ryde Esplanade is open for business!
“We’d urge both residents and visitors to Ryde to support these local businesses which we know have been impacted by the improvement works. They play a vital role in their communities as a service and as employers.
“With everyone’s support they can continue to thrive.”
The Isle of Wight Council has thanked road users, businesses and residents for their patience and understanding over the ‘past 12 months’ – in reality 15 months.
The Interchange is now like a maze and is an accident waiting
too happen with vehicles leaving the Pier heading towards oncoming
traffic.
I much preferred the old Ryde.
What a complete wast of money.
The new cycle lanes are also a joke, what’s the betting no one
will use them.
Great to see a new development but you must cut those palm trees back so large vehicles can see oncoming traffic when turning to Hovertravel from Dover street side it completely blocks the view for buses and coaches especially now cyclists are using the road in a contra flow direction
This is awful! Looked better before
Cycle lane! We shouldn’t encourage people to play Russian roulette. Driving is safer for us and the planet
Beware likely damage to nearside wheels and sills when exiting the pier and turning left onto road.
The cafe, toilets and new walk way are nothing to do with the railway. Appreciated they’re to be located in the old ticket office but are not linked at all. Also the ticket office comes under the ‘proposal’ of national ticket office closures. Not all will be closed. False news again IE, to simply cause unnecessary issues.
To the observant readers – you will notice the taxi’s are likely to enter the cycle lane in picture 3 when driving off – if the council had any sense they would have narrowed the entrance to the cycle lane to prevent cars from entering it – but no, too difficult.
Its a raised kerb at the end of the taxi rank. The cycle lane starts on the pedestrian walk way from the bus station then has it own “dedicated ” cycle lane for 50m or so.
Waste of time
all you lot over there are going to have trouble with that HaHa
Arrow and bike facing oncoming traffic???? HOW
As somebody that uses this everyday I can say its much better than before, looks a million times better than it did. Although I will admit the angle of the pier exit road I’m not sure what that is all about.
The whole thing is a sick joke from forcing traffic leaving the pier to enter the carriageway at 90 degrees and straight onto a pedestrian crossing to the pointless cycle lane to nowhere which at the bus station end disgorges cyclists straight into the pedestrian area plus most of the cyclists i see each day ignore the green abortion and prefer riding in the road to hold up traffic or speed down the pavements as before.
The Island is run by brainless backward idiots.
What fool would authorise such works, only an Idiot.
“The whole thing is a sick joke from forcing traffic leaving the pier to enter the carriageway at 90 degrees” – That’s what you would call a Tee Junction of which there are hundreds of thousands on our UK roads. Unlike the slip way onto the bottom of the south bound dual carriageway in Newport which islanders treat as a Tee junction for some inexplicable reason.
Can polish a t*rd it’s still a t*rd and can roll it in as much glitter as you like doesn’t change what it is
Remember the old 10 minute waiting area where you would stop to pick up tickets, where do we park now please as I can’t get digital tickets I have to physically pick them up with a code from Trainline App ? I do think the new pedestrian walkway is safer & nicer.
Why can’t traffic turn right directly to up Union Street instead of having to drive all the way down to the roundabout and back . Complete waste of money.
The phone box needs to be moved back across the road as it is a sight obstruction when existing Union Street especially during Scooter weekend. There now seems to be a wall of buses where the taxis should go