Work to improve connectivity and public amenity space on Ryde seafront is to enter a new phase next week.

From Monday (June 11), work on Ryde Interchange site will be extending to create both a new vehicular access to the pier and also a new shared use footway/cycleway alongside Western Gardens.

This work will mean there will be some small temporary adjustments for traffic using St Thomas’ Street and for pedestrians accessing Western Gardens. However, the works will not prevent the forthcoming summer events including the Ryde Carnival, the Tour of Britain and Isle of Wight Scooter rally from taking place.

From next week until September, the lower section of St Thomas’ Street between the car park and the Esplanade will be one-way. Traffic will be able to travel up St Thomas’ Street as normal but traffic coming down the hill will only be able to go as far as (and including) the lower St Thomas’ Street car park. Therefore, cars wanting to access Ryde Pier and the Esplanade will have to use Union Street.  There will also be a short, temporary, diversion in place for people wishing to access Western Garden from the east (pier, bus station, Hovertravel etc).

While work is ongoing, pedestrians will not be able to access the garden by walking along the current footway on the northern (seaside) section of the Esplanade. Instead, they will have to cross the road at the existing pedestrian crossing outside The King Lud  and then cross again at the foot of Union Street to get to Western Gardens, which is also where the temporary toilets are located. The gardens will still be accessible from the usual approaches to the west. These arrangements will also be in place until September.

There will be a short overlap between the completion of the current work at the Rose Gardens and Ryde Superbowl and the start of the new phase at Western Gardens and these works will be completed later this month.