Bath Road Reopening Plans Welcomed After Nearly Three Years Of Closure

Plans to reopen one of Ventnor’s key roads have been welcomed by community campaigners after the Isle of Wight Council confirmed work could begin “as soon as possible”.

Bath Road has been shut since October 2023, when heavy rain caused a privately owned wall to collapse, leaving rubble blocking the road.

The closure has meant businesses and residents around the Esplanade have faced restricted access for almost three years.

The council has now reached an agreement with the property owner, removing the need to wait for court proceedings over responsibility for the wall.

It means plans to repair the wall and restore the road can now move forward.

The council says the process of appointing contractors is already underway, with work due to start as soon as possible.

Karl Hunter, from the Ventnor Roads Group, described the announcement as “welcome news” but said it was “long overdue”.

He said the closure had come at a significant cost to Ventnor businesses and argued there were lessons to be learned about how the council and Island Roads communicate with the town.

Mr Hunter also questioned why a temporary barrier wasn't used to allow the road to reopen after the initial collapse, saying the risk of further debris could have been managed.

Meanwhile, Keep Ventnor Moving says businesses on the Esplanade have endured a “torrid time” during the prolonged closure.

David Groocock said the group had been involved in discussions behind the scenes and argued that the road should not have remained closed while a legal dispute was being resolved.

He said the group would be monitoring how quickly future highway closures caused by collapsed walls or landslips are dealt with.

The council is also making progress towards reopening Southgrove Road, which has been affected by another wall collapse for more than two years.

A Ground Investigation Report has now been completed and the council is looking for specialist contractors to design and carry out the necessary repairs.

Keep Ventnor Moving says it wants the council to work more closely with property owners to prevent similar incidents from causing lengthy road closures in future.

The Isle of Wight Council has been asked for further information about the Bath Road closure and reopening plans.