Improvement works at Ryde Interchange have finally been completed some 28 months after the multi-million-pound scheme got underway – but the bus shelters are already set to be replaced and the tarmac is proving problematic. It was in early 2021 that plans for the redevelopment of the Esplanade were revealed, with adjusted plans then released in October 2021. After local authority approval, work began in April 2022 with Island Roads stating that the scheme would take just 12 months to complete. Now, getting on for 2-and-a-half years later, the improvements to the bus and train station have been completed. However, it has been revealed that the bus shelters are already set to be replaced due to the high level of the seats. It’s also known that the bus station road has had to be resurfaced due to damage sustained. The completion of the project, which has sought to provide better travel connectivity as well as much-improved public space for residents and visitors, has been hailed by the council’s leader as ‘a landmark’ day in the town’s history. Although the transport hub has been completely reorganised to reduce the dominance of vehicles, provide a pedestrian prioritised area and open up views of the historic pier, the newly-formed cafe – and shop opposite – have not yet been occupied, leaving 2 empty buildings front and centre of the Interchange. 
The main improvements include:
- Remodelling and refurbishment of the Esplanade bus interchange to create a better environment for bus users/pedestrians and making it easier and safer for buses to manoeuvre and to exit directly via George Street
- Reinstatement of the pier tramway to provide a new separate ‘boardwalk’ facility for pedestrians
- Refurbishment of the station buildings including new, fully accessible toilets, a new tower feature at the main entrance, remodelled/expanded concessions and access to the boardwalk
- Enhanced planting
The works were funded by a Government grant awarded to the Isle of Wight Council, Hampshire County Council and Portsmouth City Council, after a successful joint bid to the Transforming Cities Fund, to improve local sustainable transport infrastructure and connectivity. 
With the support of the National Railway Heritage Trust the scope of the scheme was expanded to include restoration of the historic waiting room and exposure of the original columns of the old tramway platform canopy, which can now be seen on the concourse connection to the pedestrian pier. Councillor Phil Jordan, council leader and Cabinet member for transport and infrastructure, has said:
“The completion of these improvement works is a landmark day for Ryde. It has taken some time but has been worth the wait! “We know this new transport interchange space will provide an attractive welcome to residents and visitors alike, both to Ryde and the wider Island community taking full advantage of the much-improved public realm space and the upgraded connections for transport opportunities. “Following this summer season, we also plan to replace the existing bus shelters with a more robust design featuring pitched, rather than barrelled, roofs and lower traditional seat heights. “And one final, fantastic upgrade, the new shelters will then be fitted with real-time information for bus services giving the much needed and requested information that is fit for the 21st century.”
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A total waste of time and money.
I have never seen a cyclist use the cycle lanes.
Also Motorists are always breaking the law by turning into
George Street from the Esplanade
EVEN THOUGH IT IS A ‘NO’ RIGHT TURN
I saw a family of 4 using the cycle lane this week, the very young chidren riding safely, which they couldnt have done on the main road. I don’t know why you keep complaining about it. It’s a tiny part of the big scheme.
It’s good to have a wider, non-traffic space there, protecting pedestrians from the full main road. When more and more ppl realise the cycle lane is there, more and more ppl will use it. It would then likely herald a welcome expansion
Protecting pedestrians from the full main road?
Roads= vehicles, pavements =pedestrians.
There, protected from the full main road, simples.
Yet bus passengers wanting to get to Newport when they come in on the service 2 or 3 have to dodge the buses
Surely there’s a British Standard or Code of Practice to define seat heights that should have been worked to. !!!
We’d have been better off if they’d got Pepsi the clown from the circus to complete the work. It would have taken just as long but at least we might have had a laugh too!
Look at all those weeds coming up through the paving already.
Look at all those weeds growing through the paving already.
1. Why waste money changing the bus shelter roof shape. It’s ok as it is.
2. Why weren’t the seats installed at the correct height to start with. More money wasting now to change them.
3. Why wasn’t the bus road built to carry the weight of buses? Doh! More money down the pan.
Because the contractors chosen were cheap
If you look at the windows on the side of the “cafe” you will see the gutter down pipe coming diagonally across the window to the drain, someone really thought that one out
The much-loved old tulip tree there is absolutely flourishing! I’ve never seen it so healthy! Perhaps it has a greater area of soil around it, and therefore more absorption of rainfall
The bus shelter seats are obviously too high, and appears an unnecessary mistake. Also, they’re of very narrow width, so not at all comfortable while waiting.
Anyone know why the queues seem a lot shorter to buy train tickets, than they were at the previous site? Staff remain very knowledgeable and helpful. Thank goodness for them.
Another worthwhile project paid for and not fit for purpose. Just another example of the inept planners we have here.
No one wanted the public area with the cafe,toliets,direct access to the beach,and uninteruppted sea and pier views demolished and a road built through.The new public areas now have a view of the bus station and empty units.The bus station does look better..but the lay out including the new pier access and a cycle path that has no clear starting point is a terrible piece of planning that the residents had no say over.We were also told that it was dangerous for the busses to reverse out of the bays hence the lashed up layout.Yet at the new bus station in Portsmouth they do excacly that.
Building a road through a public space with a cafe ,toliets, direct access to the beach with uninteruppted views of the sea and pier is not an improvement.The new public space has views of the bus station and looks like a 1960s brutalist public space.
The cycle path has no clear starting point and the taxi ranck has been moved a considerable distance from the ” intergrated transport interchange ” The busshelters are a disgrace
The fact that this lashed up layout was forced on the people of Ryde without any consultation is a complete scandal
Whilst real time information will be welcomed I fear that it will be just another target for the ignorant vandals of Ryde, take the flower beds for example cctv should be used along with naming and shaming anyone who does so
they have already had to scrub the bus shelter windows due to graffiti being sprayed on them – more than once.
those pointless speed ramps are the cause of the road problems, as the buses hit them and then hit the road each time they go over them – this has caused the up and down parts of the ramps to crack and fall away, as well as impact the tarmac areas.
those are not seats in the shelters, they are to lean against nothing more – it is not a mistake, it is by design.
Yes, it’s probably true about the seats. They’re to put off trouble-makers hanging around late at night while nice and comfy. But lots of good citizens of every age can’t stand very long while waiting for a bus, not to mention parents with small children.
What a clinical and awful construction project. Jordans idea is shite as usual, praising it up, but “attractive welcome to visitors” don’t make me laugh, what planet is he on??? Empty shopfronts “To Let” and absolutely no greenery. Let’s just see how long they will stay “To Let” Jordans idea is a failure, Jordan is a failure.
I visit Ryde several times a year, what really upsets me is the lack of public toilets, particularly at the interchange end. Even Hovertravel has a sign up saying its toilets are for its customers only. They must be fed up with members of the public asking to use the facilities. The new interchange has been built, but please tell me where the public toilets are? If they are planned to be in the outlets at the new interchange then we may have to wait a long time until they are occupied.
A frustrated OAP.
The public toilets including baby change in new station
Don’t say “absolutely no greenery” when we have the lovely, now flourishing, tulip tree there!
1 tree hardly counts, look at that first photo, no plants at all!
Any chance of the pillar box being reinstated? It’s a long walk to the now nearest one.
what – you actually use paper -that was from a tree that was cut down and can no longer soak up co2 from the atmosphere. You created a carbon footprint travelling to a post box to deposit the letter, which was then collected by someone who created an even larger carbon footprint using a diesel post van. The letter then travelled to its destination, by people creating more and more pollution just to delliver it.
Then the paper gets thrown in a bin, whereby someone creates even more carbon emissions collecting it and recyling it or burning it.
you could have just emailed, text or made a phone call and avoided all that pollution and hassle
so much for being green
Don’t be fooled. Much of the paper I use has been recycled. I don’t use much carbon walking to post a letter. Even if I do have to trek up Union Street.
Somethings have to be in physical form. (Of course I could take them personally to London or wherever but at greater cost to the environment).
Royal Mail increasingly has electric vehicles.
Yes we should look to be green where we can but if we head too far we will back in caves.
So you think it’s ALL improvement. There is hardly any seating and STILL no cafe, maybe asking for too much money!!!!
And look at the poxy little shelters they have given bus passengers to wait in. Originally they had a large covered area.
An utter waste of money which would have been better spent repairing Island roads.
It’s the same all over the Internet on discussion threads. Angry, complaining mood hoovers strike again. One poor guy who just wanted a post box is harrassed because he wants to write on paper and send a letter! What a shock. The truth is that writing a letter means that, unlike digital and social media communications such as thos comments section, people can communicate without being bullied, trolled and needlessly upset by keyboard warriors with no purpose except hatred and targeting those they don’t know and never will. It’s not fair or acceptable. Obviously, I know this post may get showers of insults but that’s OK. It just proves my point. Kindness and positivity costs little.