The major project to upgrade the shared use route between The Riverside Centre and Mews Lane in Newport is progressing well with increased usage already being reported on the completed sections.
The scheme is part of the Isle of Wight Council’s ongoing work to encourage greater use of cycling and walking by creating high-quality, shared-use paths.
Work is being carried out by Island Roads using money the council has been awarded through the government’s Active Travel 2 and Local Transport Plan programmes.
The first 2 sections are now complete and work is well underway on the next phase between Gordon Road and the junction of St Paul’s View/Victoria Road.
The council has said it will be departing from the originally communicated schedule to dovetail the work in with the ongoing Island Roads project to upgrade the signals and pedestrian crossings on and around Coppins Bridge. The purpose of this approach is to ensure traffic control measures on Fairlee Road are kept to a minimum while also ensuring adequate and safe crossing points for pedestrians.
The schedule in the coming weeks will, therefore, be as follows (subject to any unforeseen delays):
- The section currently being worked on (from number 1 to number 11 Beatrice Terrace, and the Victoria Road Link path) will continue as programmed with works only stopping when relocating to the southern side of Fairlee Tunnel is required.
- The works will start on the southern side of Fairlee Tunnel on 21 February, starting at the Riverside Centre.
- A temporary pedestrian crossing and safe walkway on ‘Hillside’ will be implemented from 21 February to ensure the safe passage of pedestrians across Fairlee Road and on towards Newport Harbour and the town centre.
- All works from the Riverside Centre to property number 1 Beatrice Terrace will then be completed by 25th March – 2 weeks later than planned
Councillor Phil Jordan, Cabinet member for transport and infrastructure, has said:
“We would really like to thank residents for their co-operation and support during this project.
Article continues below this advertisement “I am pleased to say we have received many favourable comments on the work so far and we have also noticed a high usage of completed sections which is great to see.”
Lucy newporters .Newport seems to get a lot done but the rest of the island is a mess
Just look at sandown its looking more like the bronx
Freshwater too could do with a cycle track to Newport.
The old railway trackbed is still there – so it’s a straightforward project. Then instead of us firing up our internal combustion engines, we could jump on our bikes and Ebikes and get fitter at the same time..
Some hope though, many have been campaining for this for years, only to be continually ignored.
Just mend the roads, Fairlee Road especially.
When walking the dog, I’ve only ever seen Crownpark working there. It looks great. A big thumbs up.
Looks good, but this does mean the Councils wish to run trains into Newport will no longer be able to use this route as they had suggested not so long ago.
Most of this path is on infill, i hope they didn’t disturb any of the material that went in there in the 1960’s