The leader of the Isle of Wight Council has been questioned over highway safety after a recent car crash which led to the death of much-loved Islander and rugby player Tristan Price.
Reform UK Central Rural councillor Caroline Gladwin told full council last week she had warned Island Roads and Highways there could be a fatal accident at the “very spot” of the 3rd January collision 5 months before and requested action in the form of a warning sign.
However, in a written response, which was not read out during the 21st January meeting, Cllr Jordan said Cllr Gladwin’s requested ‘T junction sign’ on the approach to Whitwell Road on Roud Road would not have made a difference to the accident due to the vehicle ‘approaching from the other direction’.
Cllr Gladwin said:
“On 3rd January there was tragically a fatal car accident in my ward at the very spot I had warned Island Roads and Highways there could be a fatal accident 5 months before and requested action in the way of a warning sign.
“I was informed that all such requests are only considered at a November annual review and my request for it to be made urgent fell on deaf ears. Also, from the responses, it is clear that no investigation took place that would have exposed the full extent of the problem.
“In future, can all such requests from councillors with serious safety issues be treated urgently?”
Cllr Jordan’s response said the 3rd January accident is still part of an ongoing police investigation and further information may become available from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary at a later date.
“The records show that you requested a T junction sign on the approach to Whitwell Road on Roud Road,” it noted.
“Although the request is in the same vicinity as the road traffic incident, a T junction sign would not have made a difference to this accident as the vehicle was approaching from the other direction.”
The statement continued:
“All requests for additional safety features on the network from both councillors and residents are considered using the Highways Safety Improvement Register which takes into account casualty, collision data, and road condition to determine a level of risk if the addition of a sign – or other safety feature – is, or is not, considered for introduction onto the road network”.
“Under safety assessments, those requests that achieve the highest indexed score become the priority for installation, subject to available budget.
“To give some context there have been 2141 HSIR requests made since the start of the contract in 2013 and, of those, 120 were added to the HSIR list up to November 2025.”
20mph is plenty, many mainland councils are taking the
plunge.
There are so many UNSAFE spots on the island where vehicles
need to slow down, take coming out of Whitcliffe Bay on
blind bend, coming out of Sandown Bay Holiday centre
Speed hjmos need installing a few metres before the entrance
of such holiday sites so it is safe for vehicles driving out.
I am shocked how many accidents there are in such a
small island with a small population, and don’t get me started
on speeding.
No one takes notice of the 20mph signs
SPEED CAMERA’S ARE REQUIRED, it also generates
extra revenue for Councils so not only does it make roads
safer it provides the council with extra revenue.
So sad another life was lost on island Roads.
Just to be clear, revenue generated from speed camera fines goes directly to Central Government, (the Treasury’s Consolidated Fund), not to local Councils or Police forces.
While cares where it goes, we still need rules
you many numpties think they can do what they want.
Good point that most people don’t get, Dave. Nor that not a penny of what we used to call the road fund tax goes into a pot dedicated to looking after our roads.
Give it up do you drive at 20? have you tried to drive at 20 ? cars weren’t never designed to drive at that speed,more pollution strain on engine gearbox and person driving trying to stay at that ridiculous speed more dangerous.So give it up and stop this bollocks.
Yep, I do drive at 20mph where it is mandatory or appropriate. Yep, I can drive at 20 without problems and my car is quite happy. If this simple thing is beyond you or your car either it needs a service or you need some training.
But I accept such a low speed may not be appropriate on many stretches of road although it is a sensible limit in built-up areas.
For too long car drivers have been able to dominate the traffic environment to the detriment of vulnerable road users and it is time the scales were rebalanced. Pedestrians, children, cyclists, pram pushers, the disabled and the elderly should not be forced to run a never ending gauntlet of noisy, smelly and dangerous vehicles. Less than a hundred years ago the streets were for people and I look forward to a return to those more sociable times.
Vehicles can drive at 20mph, it’s just that
many numpties want to break speed limits.
Majority of the country is gradually introducing
20mph, it’s coming soon.
I am fed up driving along Rroads that are 30mph
or 40mph and numpties are tailgating!
SPEED CAMERAS WILL STOP such numpties
it’s amazing what an heavy fine and points on
a licence stops.
Bring it on make it the same rules for everyone.
A 20mph speed limit is not the answer. The problem is the appalling standards of driving on the Island. The insistance on driving everywhere at 40 mph, whether in a 30mph area or on a 60 mph open stretch of road. And a huge proportion of people do not seem to realise that their car is even equipped with indicators, let alone use them. An almost complete lack of awareness of surroundings and other road users, slow reflexes and poor eyesight. If every driver on Island roads were re-tested tomorrow I doubt you would achieve a more than 30% pass rate. Add to that the drink and drug drivers and it is not hard to see how the accident numbers stack up.
I agree, people drive far too fast on the island. They need to put a drastic change in place to prevent these accidents.
I, for one, think they should ban modifications of vehicles. Vehicles should be kept factory standard, and there should be a low maximum power to weight ratio allowed on our roads. Cars and bikes don’t need to be as fast as they are.
I believe that the Channel Islands have a top speed limit of 40mph, with lower limits in built up areas. Would such limits make journey times much greater on the Isle of Wight?