It’s been a busy spell on our island’s road network and, as island residents ourselves, we know how frustrating it can be to come across a set of roadworks on the way to work, school or home.
Nobody likes to be delayed, and we do all we can to keep things moving. As we head into summer, our own programme of works is easing off. That’s deliberate – we avoid the busiest months, wherever possible, to minimise congestion during the peak tourism season.
Avoiding the main tourist season and also restricting work in the winter, when there is less daylight and when materials can be compromised by the cold or wet weather making delays more likely, does mean there are particularly intense periods of work in the spring and autumn – it really is a balancing act.
Each year we submit our full works programme to the Isle of Wight Council. This considers not only the maintenance needed to keep the road network up to standard, but also the many restrictions that apply to individual roads.
Some roads, for example can only be worked on during set hours of the day or at night, while others are strictly off-limits during major events such as the Isle of Wight Festival. In a few cases, we may have just a narrow window of a few hours to get in, get the job done and get out again.
The majority of our planned works are about maintenance, the unglamorous but essential job of keeping the island’s roads safe and serviceable. Wherever possible, we use temporary traffic lights rather than closing a road entirely, allowing traffic to keep flowing. Unfortunately, closures are sometimes unavoidable. Where a road is too narrow to work safely alongside passing vehicles, or where we have to dig deep to rebuild a section of road, closing it is the only safe option for both our crews and the public.
It’s also worth noting that not every set of roadworks you see is ours. In fact, at any one time, around 70% of all roadworks on the island are carried out by utility companies. We work closely with these companies to coordinate planned works to minimise disruption. However, many jobs, such as fixing a gas leak, restoring water supplies or repairing a power failure are urgent or emergency works and can’t be delayed, even if other works are already under way in the area. Whilst nobody would wish to stop such essential repairs, neither can we plan for such emergency work.
Private companies, such as housing developers, also carry out roadworks – for example, the recent works at Horsebridge Hill. No matter who is working on the network, when diversions are necessary, we have to make sure they are safe and suitable for all traffic. With a limited number of alternatives routes on the Island, this can be challenging. We know many locals will find their own shortcuts, but our responsibility is to plan and publicise the safest diversion routes for everyone.
If you’d like to plan ahead and avoid delays, the website one.network is a great resource. It shows current roadworks, expected duration and who’s responsible, so you can direct any questions to the right people.
Thank you for your patience as we work to keep the island’s roads safe, smooth and open for all.
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