Motorists are being advised to expect delays on Whippingham Road and its approaches on Sunday May 12.
On that day, the road is being improved by Island Roads as part of its Islandwide surface dressing programme. The work is required to ensure Whippingham Road maintains safe skid resistance.
Though the work process itself is quicker than other re-surfacing methods, some delays are inevitable, particularly given the absence of any alternative routes into East Cowes.
Island Roads has scheduled work for a Sunday to avoid commuter and school run traffic. The work is also being phased to reduce disruption.
The work will be undertaken using a slow-moving vehicle which lays bitumen and stone chippings as it travels and will treat half the road width at a time to allow traffic to use the other half. Traffic will be controlled by traffic lights and then moved through the site at low-speed in a convoy system for site safety.
This means that during the first section of the work, between The Racecourse Roundabout and Old East Cowes Road, there will likely be congestion on the approaches to Whippingham Road (The Racecourse and Lushington Hill) as well as in Whippingham Road itself. This phase of work is expected to be completed between 8am and 10:30 am during which traffic heading between Newport and Wootton/Binstead/Ryde is advised to take a diversion route which will be advertised.
As work progresses into East Cowes, then the queues should be contained in Whippingham Road leaving traffic in the surrounding areas moving freely.
An Island Roads spokesperson said: “It is important that this work is done because of the need to maintain a safe surface on what is a very busy road. Unfortunately there is never a ‘right time’ to do the work as it will inevitably cause some inconvenience.
“We can’t risk doing it overnight because the warmer daytime temperatures are needed to assist the process but we hope that doing it on a Sunday will help reduce disruption.
“We would advise motorists to avoid the area if they can on Sunday May 12 – particularly between 8am and 10:30 am – and to leave additional time for journeys if travel through this area is necessary.”
Please note these works begin after the start of the main Walk the Wight event. However people wishing to travel to attend the short walk are among those who should allow extra time for their journey.
Buses will continue to serve East Cowes during the work and Red Funnel has also been informed.
For more details about the surface dressing programme please visit the ‘current works’ tab on www.islandroads.com
Notes to editors:
For further information, please contact info@islandroads.com or visit www.islandroads.com
Island Roads, made up of VINCI Concessions, Meridiam Infrastructure and Ringway, is working in partnership with the Isle of Wight Council to deliver the highways maintenance service. Island Roads began its contract on 1 April 2013. Ringway is a well-established and experienced highway maintenance service provider in the United Kingdom and has worked on the Island for many years.
The Island’s Highways PFI is financed in the main through a grant of £477 million awarded by the Department for Transport and delivered in partnership with the Isle of Wight Council.
Report it Online