A specialist team will soon be called in to survey some of the hard-to-reach structures that support the Island’s highway network.

Among the hundreds of retaining walls for which Island Roads is responsible are a number that can only be reached using climbing gear.

Four of these, all in Ventnor, will be visited by these ‘rope-access’ teams in April. The teams will scale the walls to inspect and record their condition helping Island Roads to plan and deliver any required maintenance.

Local company MMC have once again been appointed to carry out the work at Alpine Road (where there are two structures), Castle Road and the Cascades. The work is dependent on favourable weather conditions but it is hoped the surveys can be undertaken with a daytime road closure between the hours of 8am and 4pm at each site.

In the case of The Cascades, pedestrian access will be maintained during the inspection. Works to all four structures are programmed for the week commencing 20 April.  It is hoped all four sites can be completed within one week.

Victoria Keefe Island Roads Structures Inspection Team Leader said: “With a varied network, we use different inspection techniques according to the location. This includes use of divers, of drones and also teams that are skilled in working in confined spaces.

“Sometimes it is also necessary to call on skilled rope access teams and we are delighted to once again be working with Wroxall-based MMC who have provided an excellent service for us previously.”