Traffic is reported to be at a standstill on Perowne Way in Sandown this morning (Monday) as a month-long one-way system comes into force on Lake Hill for utility works.
Motorists are experiencing lengthy delays in excess of 30 minutes when travelling from Lake and Shanklin towards Sandown as all traffic is being diverted via The Fairway and Perowne Way.
Before the morning school run has even begun, traffic is said to be backed up from the traffic lights at Avenue Road (iron bridge) to the rugby club and now towards Tesco Express. It’s thought that the short ‘green time’ on the traffic lights at the junction of Perowne Way/Avenue Road/Morton Common are to blame as they simply don’t let enough vehicles out at a time.
The one-way system is to remain in place for the next month, until Friday 8th April, to enable WightFibre to install fibre optic connections on Lake Hill, as previously reported by Island Echo.
Southern Vectis says its Routes 2, 3 and 8 buses heading towards Sandown from Lake will not be able to serve The Fairway or The Heights stops. The nearest stops will be Lake Shops, Pemberley Court (on The Fairway itself) and Melville Street.
A spokesperson for Island Roads last week said:
“As a utility company, WightFibre has a legal right to undertake such infrastructure work. Island Roads’ role is to work with them to reduce the impact on road users. To that end, we have asked WightFibre to undertake the work outside of the main tourism season when roads are quieter.
“We will also monitor the effects of the traffic restrictions and take any appropriate action to ensure traffic flows are as smooth as possible. In addition, we will encourage WightFibre to complete the scheme as soon as possible in which case the restriction can be lifted ahead of the advertised dates”.
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Island Potholes and Wight Fribosis need getting rid of very fast. Both are an utter disaster with absolutely no respect for anyone, except their horrible selves.
“We will also monitor the effects of the traffic restrictions and take any appropriate action to ensure traffic flows are as smooth as possible.
Sounds like Island Echo is doing the monitoring for you.
Can’t wait for whens day, BINDAY.
Who would have thought that making Lake Hill one way and diverting all the traffic down narrow roads would cause chaos?
Oh yes – everybody!
OK Island Roads and IWCC – you’ve ignored the advance warnings and now you’ve monitored and seen the chaos – Time to actually do something before someone loses their life when emergency vehicles can’t get through this mess.
The problem we will now encounter is that Island Roads will say they are only the monitoring force, and it is down to the Council to enforce, and the Council will say that Island Roads are responsible for the control of roadworks.
Just wait and see how slopey everyone’s shoulders become when actual robust action is required!
Never in my entire 45 year life as an islander have I ever witnessed entire sections of main road completely shut off like this and also copins Bridge works. It’s totally insane!
However did previous company’s deal with works without shutting main arteries for months at a time.
Heads should roll… either at the companies or the governance for this red tape insult to the population.
I agree it’s a nuisance but WightFibre’s customer service phone number is 01983 242424, they’re the ones to complain to.
Sorry, but a neighbour of mine did complain to Wightfibre on a previous occasion about the inconvenience they were causing and the attitude of their workmen, and was told somewhat arrogantly that they were a major infrastructure contractor (so basically could do what they’re wanted) and said that the workmen were not Wightfibre employees, so they were nothing to do with them (despite the fact that they wear jackets with Wightfibre written in them).
Not convinced that calling their ‘Customer Service’ line will be any use!
Their “customer service” staff used to work for ryanair but were sacked for being useless
Ok fair enough. I would have thought the utility company actually having the works done would be the first people to speak to.
anyone with a bit of common would have adjusted the lights at the bottom of perone way and put cones all along the road from The Fairway to the bottom of Perone Way but still it needs a manager to think about that. Re wightfibre contractors have they been told they have so many days to do the work and encouraged (financial fine if not)to have more than two people to do the work
Usually two working and the rest are leant against the wall on there phones
I’ve just been shanklin to ryde and back with no major problems only added 5 minutes max I think the main problems will be at school times
I agree with David Ford !!..Time after time I see Wightfibre contractors and Island Road workers standing around talking on there phones and no work getting done !! about time we all took a photo when we see this and send it off to the relevent company management ..
Knowing for a fact of walking that part of the wightfibre build as a contractor months ago it was to be done out of hours as stated by island roads we agreed so what has changed oh i know bigger brown envelopes as please nobody tell me that dosent go on cos i know it does for a fact certain pepole at island roads and wighfibre need a visit from the tax man
That’s a bit of an allegation. Care to provide proof?
The whole island should black Wight fibre and use other companies .They are not cheap anyway.
So, all the inconvenience for nothing then ? Other ompanies will use the same infrastructure !!
On the other hand I’m getting faster broadband for half the price I was paying. Swings and roundabouts eh?
Glad I live on Cliff Path as good old Wight Fibre made sure all of us living in the roads off lake hill don’t have to go all the way round the detour to get home?…….oh wait, no they didn’t!!
No consideration at all…as usual.
Does anybody want WF?
Not me
So here we are again, putting up with all of this for a system that will be outdated and is costly very soon. Wightfibre never get their contractors to operate correctly, and they are often shutting far too much roadway. I tried complaining only to get the normal result, lots of talk and no action . Who wants this rubbish system anyway?
People who embrace change and value technology unlike people who can’t move with the times, such an ignorant comment…lol
How about people who realise that technology changes and actually understand that we need to move with the times rather than moan at needed progress, time to wake up and keep your ignorant opinions to yourself.
What needs “MONITORING” is the time taken to dig a hole put a cable in it and refill hole, if most people worked that slow they would be sacked!
I don’t agree with Wightfibre being allowed to cause chaos all over the island but it seems there is nothing we can do about it. A simple solution would be to make The Fairway and Perown Way one way as well whilst the work is going on, or is that too simple for Island Roads to work out?
Wightfibre are supposed to give notification to homeowners that work is going to be carried out on their street. We indeed received notification that work would start on our street only to be woken at 8 in the morning 3 days before the work had been notified to us in writing to start. I went and showed the letter to the contractor who said not my problem mate we only do as we are told.
The work they do is terrible they’re terrible at edging the paths down perowne way the lines they leave in the pavement are disgusting and when they were doing work down perowne way I could smell the cannabis from miles away! I mean they have an ex heroine dealer working for them now, really says a lot shitefibre