Residents "Bewildered" By Scheduled Horsebridge Hill Roadworks Says Councillor

There is “bewilderment and anger” over a major roadworks scheme that will cause considerable “inconvenience” to Islanders’ daily lives, a local county councillor lamented today.

Parkhurst and Hunnyhill representative Cllr Andrew Garratt criticised the handling of upcoming junction improvement works at Horsebridge Hill, leading to a two-month one-way system on the main route between Newport and Cowes.

All traffic heading towards Cowes will be diverted via Forest Road, Whitehouse Road, Rolls Hill and Pallance Road, Northwood.

Parking on Pallance Road will also be prohibited, to assist with traffic flow.

Though acknowledging the need for the works, part of Captiva Homes’s plans for the largest affordable housing development in a decade at Acorn Farm near St Mary’s Hospital, Cllr Garratt asked why councillors representing affected wards have been left out in the cold.

Instead of being “involved in the process”, he got a phone call on Tuesday afternoon informing him the works would begin in two weeks time (May 12).

Driving back from work that day, the yellow signs at the junction “were up already” with residents asking him “what on earth is happening?” in phone messages and emails.

The leader of the Isle of Wight Liberal Democrats said:

“People in this area – I live in this area – we coped with the St Mary’s junction build because we were consulted, we were able to comment on the traffic management plan, adjustments were able to be made to allow for that, the same thing was done for the St George’s widening scheme.

“The reason I’d been told that this isn’t possible to consult upon is because it’s under a different piece of legislation where it’s a third-party developer asking to do something on the highway, so it was all in some sense confidential.

“What I don’t understand is how amongst them (Captiva Homes, Island Roads and the Isle of Wight Council) they couldn’t have collectively agreed and said ok, there are some nuances to this, but we could go out to consultation: we could say, these are the sorts of things we’re looking at and how would that impact you?”

“Whether you’re a resident of Parkhust and Hunnyhill or a resident of Lake who just needs to get to Red Funnel or needs to get to work, we need information as full as possible and as quickly as possible.”

Cllr Garratt said one of the three organisations should “own the   communications” for the scheme – “put out the maps, set up the weblinks, be the first point of contact for people who said ‘look, did you think about this issue because this is how it affects me?”

He added there should be “adjustment when it’s needed”, a “definite sense” that there is “flexibility” and information from Southern Vectis on how their service will be adapted.

The roadworks are expected to be completed by July 4.