Island Roads have removed the traffic lights from Hope Hill in Shanklin and have re-instated the carriageway.
Traffic has recently been controlled by temporary lights for safety reasons after a void appeared beneath the road surface.
This void has been linked to underground pipework and investigations will continue into what is causing the underlying issue.
Steve Ashman, Island Roads service director, says:
“These investigations have so far proved inconclusive and are ongoing but in the meantime we have taken the decision to fill in the void and reinstate the road.
“This means the busy road serving the Esplanade is now fully open in time for the weekend and in advance of the forthcoming Bank Holiday.”
Steve said it may be necessary to conduct further minor work while investigations continue – such as lifting manhole covers and excavating small trial holes – but this would only be short-term.
He added:
“If further, more significant, work is required then this will be planned for after the tourism season.
“We apologise for the recent inconvenience while the lights have been in place but it is important that we controlled traffic until we understood more about what had caused the void to appear. While more investigation is required, we are satisfied that the road can now be made safe for use and we will of course keep the local community informed of any future work in this area.”
This road already looks patchy after only being resurfaced a year ago. It was Woefibre which initially caused the first problem digging their trenches there and opening up a large cavernous hole!!
Wight fibre have a lot to answer for. Yes, it’s great people get faster Broadband, yawn, yawn…. But the contractors who are actually digging up the roads and pavements are not doing a very good job filling the hole in and making it look presentable. The contract company management should get a rollicking from the council. As for the temporary traffic lights, bet that caused long queues with motorists in and out of the seafront….car fumes and pollution springs to mind!!!!!
Better shut down all use of cars then, or limit revs on manual vehicles. Or better yet, stop all international flights to stop all the pollution and carbon footprint when people buy their out of season vegan food or go on holiday?
I just do not get it! I really don’t. I read an article about this sinkhole (small sinkhole) about a month ago. I live in Shanklin and have retired from getting a good living from the tourism industry back in the 1980’s and 1990’s. At the start of the main school holidays about 6 weeks ago Atherley road was closed right by the railway station. I was just flabbergasted!
I don’t or we should not blame Mr Ashman from Island Roads, or Southern Water who were titting and tatting with each other about a month ago to see who the blame lies with. They will carrying on ignoring disrupting the most important economy that the Isle of Wight relies on which is Tourism until they are told THEY CAN’T DIG THE ROADS UP during the the peak holiday season.
Please do not take this personally Shanklin Town Council or Mr Whittle (IW Council Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Business Development.) but you have a responsibility to stop this happening and fight for our Island’s tourism industry. Between Mr Whittle, Mr Quirk and Mr Beston you have let this circus of a small hole in the road lay dormant for nearly 3 months. Incredible! I should maybe bring our Mayor into play here as well. Surely a Mayor of a town has a duty not just to cut ribbons, attend school fetes, and plant the odd tree for their picture in the paper. A good mayor a local councillors should have the know how and be able to make sure that that hole had been filled in and mended within 72 hours, and be banging on the doors of these two outfits if our town is being ignored.
Southern Water and Island Roads can argue until the cows come home to exactly who’s fault it is and worry about the invoice after. That’s what we want our elected members to do surely? You’ve got to know how to fight and make sure you get results! (Just for the record i’m sure all of these elected men and women are very nice people and try to do their best for Shanklin)