The public is being reminded that major works to improve the main road through Godshill will begin next week.
The work will improve the section between Godshill Primary School and approximately 100 metres east of the main car park – a section that has been identified as requiring improvement through feedback from the local community and Island Roads’ own inspections and data.
Work is due to start on 2nd November and pause on Friday, 11th December, for the Christmas period. Work will then resume on Monday, 4th January, with the intention of finishing on 15th January.
Since the scheme dates were confirmed following engagement with the local community, Island Roads and the IW Council have continued to look at minimising the impact of works.
This has also involved discussions with Southern Vectis. School and public bus arrangements have now been confirmed, including a daytime hourly shuttle bus service between Jubilee Close, Godshill, and Newport Bus Station, providing connections to services for Shanklin and Ventnor.
Full details of the arrangements, including the shuttle bus timetable, can be found on the Southern Vectis website: www.islandbuses.info/godshill-road-closure
The council and Island Roads have stressed that the work will take place in three phases. Only the area being worked on during each phase will be closed. Access to premises will be maintained whenever it is safe to do so, and residents are encouraged to continue supporting local businesses and services throughout the works.
An Island Roads spokesperson said:
“We would like to thank the Godshill community for their engagement throughout this project.
“The current schedule has been agreed as a result of this engagement. Although it is impossible to carry out this type of work without causing some inconvenience, we are doing all we can to keep it to a minimum.
“For example, it is great news that Southern Vectis will be running a shuttle bus to keep the village connected, and we are keen to remind people that many Godshill businesses will remain open during the work.
“Although we will pause work over the Christmas and New Year holiday, we are aware that the run-up to the festive period is an important time for many businesses, so please continue to support them and all as normal.”
The project involves the excavation and reconstruction of large areas of the highway. This will address the underlying ground issues that have caused the highway to deteriorate in the ten years since it was last resurfaced. These deeper-than-usual excavations mean that a road closure will be necessary during the week. If it is safe to do so, the road will be reopened at weekends between Friday evening and Monday morning.
Once the foundations have been strengthened, Island Roads, which delivers the Island’s highway services in partnership with the Isle of Wight Council, will return to the site next year, most likely in April, to resurface the entire road over several nights. The road will reopen during the daytime.
The first area of work will be outside the primary school. While every effort will be made to keep to the programme, there is a possibility that work may be interrupted by extreme weather, so the scheme has been permitted to continue until 29th January.
Updates will also be shared on the Island Roads website www.islandroads.com – where there is an information page dedicated to the scheme – and via social media. If you would like to receive regular updates on the scheme, contact [email protected].
