Pole testing works by Openreach will see a main road in and out of Newport closed for 3 days next week. Long Lane will be closed in both directions between Wednesday 1st May and Friday 3rd May to allow for utility works. It’s said that Openreach is carrying out testing works on telegraph poles in the area. Motorists will be diverted via Briddlesford Road, Whiterails Road and Staplers Road in both directions.
UTILITY WORKS BY OPENREACH TO SEE LONG LANE CLOSED FOR 3 DAYS
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More like 5 days won’t be 3
Close a main road for 3 days to ‘test the telegraph poles’?
Test them for what? And, why can’t it be done at night?
It may be to check their structural integrity. They use something that can check for internal rot and so prevent any unforced failure.
Whether they need to do this during daylight I don’t know but no-one wants to see a pole fail and come down.
This applies not only to BT wires but also power cables.
Never heard of one falling down. They were always so impregnated with creosote that they lasted for eons. Sounds like someone has done a good job selling them some unnecessary equipment. Then again I suppose creosote is outlawed now, called progress !!!
Creosote has been outlawed for some time now.
The reason for checking them is to prevent one falling down or failing due to internal degradation. They are made of timber after all and although they are ridiculously strong, they will eventually need replacement.
Why can’t they do one side of the road at a time and put traffic lights up? Like they used to do when utilities had some consideration for road users.
Because they have to hand dig 1 metre down, and around each pole, and do a visual inspection of the pole furniture and ring head at the top. Each pole has to be inspected that way.
Telegraph poles???? Thought they were called telephone poles!!
They are usually known as utility poles these days to cover electrical and telephone cables. Many younger folk also have no idea what telegraph means. It is a dated term.
At moment you cannot access poor Niton from Rookly or Whitwell. To get to Niton from Ventnor you have to go Whitwell to Godshill to Newport ( maybe Kingston) to Brightstone ( can’t get to Chale from Rookly) onto Military Rd to Blackgang to Niton !. So best not bother
Now if Undercliff Drive was open . . .
Go through Road, the closed bit is between Beacon Alley and Southford.
Only 3 days? Think yourselves lucky, Totland has been cut off for nearly 2 weeks with all traffic sent down narrow lanes, a miracle nobody has had an accident yet, with buses squeezing the wrong way down alum bay old road, the obligatory mummy’s in hurry in the large suv’s with the get out of my way or be squashed attitude.
Yes folks, life is just fine around these parts……