"Serious Risk To Life" — Military Road Fears Raised At Public Meeting

“I feel there is a serious risk to life”, Freshwater South’s new Isle of Wight councillor warned at a public meeting about the iconic Military Road yesterday.

Addressing attendees at Freshwater’s West Wight Sports and Community Centre, The Empowering Islanders group’s Cllr Becca Cameron expressed alarm over “how close” the panoramic highway is to the cliff edge near Afton Down.

Military Road is affected by coastal and landward erosion, with its lifespan ‘uncertain’ and ‘dependent upon a number of geological and geotechnical factors’, according to a recent council briefing.

In February last year, County Hall’s director of community services, Colin Rowland, said the thoroughfare could be “washed away by the sea” in between two and ten years’ time.

Cllr Cameron said:

“I called this meeting because I feel there is a serious risk to life – the drone footage shows how serious the risk is and how close the cliff is to the road.

“The fissure photo shows what’s under the road – when a bus passes over the cliff you can feel the vibrations underneath.

“We have no warning system if the road collapses. While I was volunteering with the Freshwater Independent Lifeboat there was a critical incident practice where a school bus went over the cliff at Afton Down – I know it was years ago, but I’ve never forgotten it.”

She pointed to reported recommendations from highways service provider Island Roads for additional monitoring equipment.

Additionally, a vehicle restraint system (VRS) has been recommended at the site.

A VRS could for example be ‘crash barriers along the seaward side of the road’, the council said.

Cllr Cameron continued:

“Why have none of these safety measures been put in place?

"Would the VRS be strong enough to stop a school bus or aggregate lorry from going over the cliff? When did Island Roads submit these recommendations and to whom? Why has the council not implemented these recommendations?”

In a briefing issued last month, County Hall said:

“Dialogue has taken place with the Department for Transport (DfT) over the feasibility of funding works to maintain the Military Road, including the possibility of a rerouting of the road, at an estimated cost of £20 million to £25 million.

“DfT have advised the council, however, that although the value of the route to local communities and the tourism value is recognised, the economic case for these works would not meet the current criteria for national highways capital funding and the scheme would need to compete with other schemes on a national level.”

In respect of Island Roads’ recommendations, the council said:

“The council is in the process of instructing Island Roads in respect of this (monitoring equipment) installation and ensuring the relevant requirements are met.

“A review will be carried out by the council on emergency management arrangements.”