Gills Cliff Road in Ventnor is finally set to re-open tomorrow (Friday) following the completion of a major safety scheme. The road was closed on safety grounds in mid-February when tonnes of rocks fell from the cliff face onto the highway, destroying a set of traffic lights – as first reported by Island Echo. Since then, work has been taking place to remove vegetation and other loose material, with Island Roads and the Isle of Wight Council working together to design and approve a safety scheme to allow the road to be re-opened. The solution, installed by local company DDGA, has seen a netting of high tensile steel anchored to the rockface by 82 rock anchors — or dowels. The 350sqm+ of netting will both stabilise the rockface and also prevent any boulders that do become loose, falling into the highway. The netting is the same as that used for vehicle restraint systems on the F1 circuit. 
Madeline Clewett, Island Roads’ geotechnical engineer, has said:
“Given the height of the cliff, the restricted nature of the site and the fact that areas of the cliff face were unstable in the aftermath of the main fall, this has been a complex project to deliver. “We were fortunate to be able to work with one of our local partners DDGA who have extensive knowledge of the area and together we are pleased to say the project will be completed on schedule. “We understand the importance of opening the road, particularly given the other challenges in and around Ventnor, and we are delighted that this work means it is now safe to do so. We would like to thank the local community for its understanding during the project.”
Another local company, Greenscapes Tree Care, also played a key role in the project by supplying a specialist cherry picker – the only of its kind on the Island – this allowed safe working access to the 14m cliff face and the management of the trees that had established themselves. David Vrba, managing director of DDGA said:
“It was a job full of technical challenges carried out in some very hot weather. But we enjoyed meeting those challenges as part of a local team that worked really well together to deliver the required solutions to help restore access to this part of Ventnor.”
Why does everything take so long on the island to action
Why not tell us exactly how long it should have taken?
because it’s the island. Somewhen and all that
Well first you have to pose for the photos properly
Ivy serial called it right. Said to use steel netting and gabian cages to repair it.
Glad it’s done now whoever organised it
About bloody time too, it could have been opened months ago as a single track with traffic lights.
Very true, that would mean using ones brains
Island Roads employees don’t have any.
About time
6 months absolutely ridiculous. This country is a laughing stock no wonder other countries are miles ahead of us . No wonder we are not called Great Britain anymore .
Well done DDGA
I hope you taught island roads and the council how to do this as they both are usless at most things.
All credit ti DDAG. Nothing to the other two that stood by scratching each other’s heads