Work on a major scheme to ‘reduce traffic congestion and improve access for pedestrians and cyclists’ at one of the Island’s busiest junctions is to begin at the end of September, bringing 14 months of disruption for motorists.
Construction of the Isle of Wight Council scheme – which has been delayed 12 months – will transform the approaches to and access across St Mary’s roundabout in Newport. In fact, the roundabout will cease to exist with a traffic light junction set to be built.
The scheme, which is part of the wider Newport Strategic Junction Improvements, is designed to reduce congestion now as well as ‘future-proofing’ the junction — given expected growth in traffic movement associated with regeneration projects in the Newport area.
It is the largest of a package of schemes designed to improve traffic flows through Newport, which have been financed largely by a government grant of £9.6 million, supplementing development contributions.
Other schemes within the overall Newport Strategic Junction Improvements, such as the new arrangements at St George’s Way and Shide, have already been implemented, while others which will follow in the next 3 to 5 years — including widening the link road between Coppins Bridge and the Matalan roundabout to 3 lanes and purchasing land in the Trafalgar Road area — are still being planned.
Collectively these schemes, once completed, will transform the flow of traffic in and around Newport and accommodate the projected volumes of traffic expected in the emerging local plan. However, there are currently no plans to change Coppins Bridge itself, Snooks Hill, Staplers Road or Fairlee Road – key areas that many motorists complain about on a regular basis.
The St Mary’s junction scheme includes benefits for vehicular, pedestrian, cyclist and local bus traffic with new widened shared-use cycle/pedestrian facilities and the removal of the current roundabout which will be replaced with 2 linked traffic light-controlled junctions to improve traffic flow. There will also be an additional lane introduced at the B&Q roundabout to ease congestion on the approach to and from the new junction.
It will also include widening of the northbound carriageway of Medina Way to accommodate 2 right-hand turn lanes to facilitate traffic turning onto the industrial estate. The road from Cowes into Newport will also be widened on the southbound side to ease congestion on the approach to the junction.
Works will also be implemented on Forest Road at the same time as SSE carry out planned high voltage cable upgrade works to help minimise future disruption for residents and the travelling public on this route.
The council is however advising road users that the work will cause disruption during some phases, particularly until motorists become accustomed to temporary traffic arrangements during construction. The first work to take place will be the widening of B&Q roundabout, followed by a one-way restriction on Forest Road.
Plans for the scheme have evolved over time with a significant number of changes being incorporated following feedback from the public consultation.
The project is the largest of its kind on the Island for many years, so the council is keen to give advance warning to motorists ahead of construction which is planned to begin on 30th September and be completed in December 2020. Construction will pause over the Christmas and New Year holiday and during the Isle of Wight Festival period next June.
Work will take place during the day and at night, when appropriate, although the majority of the scheme will be carried out during daylight hours.
To support local businesses, the council will be offering free, weekend afternoon parking in its Newport town centre car parks in the run up to Christmas. Meanwhile, Cowes floating bridge Saver Cards — which usually cost £2 — will also be available for free during the works, offering discounted travel on the crossing.
Councillor Ian Ward, Cabinet member responsible for infrastructure and transport, said he was pleased the authority had secured government funding over and above the millions already secured to improve the network through the Highways Improvement Programme. He said:
“The St Mary’s junction scheme, the largest of the package of schemes under the Newport Strategic Junction Improvements, has been a complex scheme to put together as we have had to acquire some land in order to include features such as the shared use footway.
“We have also made significant changes to the scheme in response to suggestions made during the public consultation.
“We have been assured that a traffic-light controlled junction will have more capacity for vehicle movements than a roundabout.
“But we are now set to begin this major scheme to improve traffic flows both now and in the future at what is a notoriously busy junction. The project will also leave us better placed to unlock other regeneration schemes in this area.
“I am particularly pleased that the work will also bring about enhanced features not just for cars but also for local bus traffic, pedestrians and cyclists.”
David Evans, strategic manager for highways and transport added:
“During construction there will be various temporary traffic arrangements so work can be undertaken as quickly and safely as possible.
“Traffic lanes will be reduced temporarily, and contraflows introduced as well as short-term speed reductions. Road users will inevitably experience delays and should allow additional time for their journeys”.
Recognising the impact on adjacent areas, double yellow lines will also be introduced to Manners View and Riverway for at least the duration of the scheme, to enable better access to the industrial estate.
Residents living near the works and stakeholders have received letters about the scheme and its implications and will continue to receive updates at each of the key phases during the works.
Discussions have also been held with emergency services and with St Mary’s Hospital and access to the hospital site will be maintained at all times. Special provision for emergency vehicles has also been included during the works.
A webpage on the homepage of www.islandroads.com has also been created to give regular scheme updates and real-time information for motorists. Information will also be relayed via on-site information boards and via Twitter.
Hope mainland company are doing the work
I hope it’s a mainland designer, too.
Do you mean you hope Island Roads won’t be doing the work? Well, unless I’ve been misinformed Island Roads is part of a multinational company which really should be competent to handle this comparatively minor contract – they do operate worldwide despite their name which implies some tiny little local firm.
They are a multinational group, but if they had done it before they would not have needed to turn our government grant into a PFI to buy equipment and get themselves ‘set up’ (Which was the reason given)
Part of a very big group, but the Solent seems to prevent the quality control people from head office coming to oversee their efforts, unfortunately.
Why would a mainland contractor be better, do you even know who is actually doing this work?
An organisation that operates on the mainland would be accustomed to oversight by rather more dynamic councils, who in turn recognise the need to supply a high quality, efficient service to the paying public.
14 months of disruption.? More like 14 years of chaos and crashes. Money would be better spent on Coppins chaotic less than magic roundabout.
14 months plus till end of time as will only make it worse
Why do they always put a pedestrian crossing right by a roundabout where drivers are keeping their eyes on vehicular activity
Why?
Madness they’ve chosen the wrong roundabout
I hope im going to be paid for the extra diesel I’m going to use sitting in traffic twice a day .
Just what the Island needs – more traffic lights, that’ll make traffic flow ….. said no one ever!
How will this make things better
This council really do have all the gear?! But no idea…what a waste of money…guess the person that signed this off signed off the chain ferry too.
They are just not listening are they
Never have, never will unless it’s in their own interests. There is undoubtedly a agenda here; I doubt it will prove to be of benefit to us, the paying proletariats! I feel an investigation coming on… probably after the event, as ever.
Is there anyone apart from the council that think this is a good idea, i drive about all day and the only real time there is congestion at st marys roundabout is the morning and evening RUSH HOURS which is normal anywhere. the rest of the day it is fairly clear, i just cant understand why this has to be done apart from utter chaos for everyone!!!,
Improve traffic flow…. ha ha ha ha ha ha
What a joke. Two sets of traffic lights will improve traffic flow, I don’t think so.
It might reduce traffic in newport because it makes massive jams else where!
The money would have been much better used to build a bridge over the medina thus removing a massive portion of traffic from medina way and newport all together.
A two year old could figure that out!
Should have done it years ago.
Couldn’t agree more. Complete waste of widening Stag Lane; who allowed Vesta to block the potential Stag Lane/Island Harbour bridge access?
It’s not rocket science to work out that a bridge across the Medina would resolve many traffic issues… without causing a year (or three) of mayhem. If ambulances can’t get through, people will suffer or die unnecessarily. This is a typical IoW Council case of short-term game for long-term loss; I leave you to deduce who gains in the short term (not the public). We.. you & me.. are paying for this ill-planned ill-fated chaotic scheme. Why are we all sitting back like the apathetic impotent public we are, allowing this mad scheme to progress? Do you think we can’t stop it? We can. Bombard the Council with emails, letters, phone calls. It’s not too late!
What a waste of money & resources, Coppins Bridge would be a better place for improvement.
All the work near hospital roundabout then into Coppins bottleneck, useless scheme
Come on Councillor Ward do the right thing for once!
Waste of money and time. Ridiculous. There are far more important things needing addressing on the island other than a road try car pooling rather than wasting £9600000 when that could be used to actually bring some sort of living to those in poverty. But guess what!!! Isle of Wight Tory council wants social cleansing.
Is there any one on the Island who is in favour of this idea? other than councillor Ward, or any one with road layout knowledge who can say what they think of it?
How will this help the build up of traffic at Coppins Bridge?
Have any Members of the Council ever been to Milton Keyes? I lived in a village near there when they’d started building Milton Keynes from a small hamlet in the early 60’s until I moved back to the Island in 2001.
Milton Keynes has the most roundabouts for traffic you will find anywhere in the world, as the entire area has horizontal and vertical streets leading off which helps the flow of traffic.
After years of shopping there twice a week, I can hardly ever remember encountering traffic jams as everything flowed so smoothly. However, some ‘bright spark’ from the Buckinghamshire council thought it would be a good idea to introduce traffic lights at one junction leading out of Milton Keynes a few years back…and guess what…huge traffic jams were caused.!!!!!
Whether or not they changed it back to a roundabout I’m unsure as I haven’t been back there for a few years……but if that was anything to go by…then heavens help us if St Marty’s turns out this way.
As with the floating bridge , did the Council visit anywhere that had a floating bridge the same design as we have got before ordering one?