Godshill road improvement work to start next month

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Island Roads will begin a major scheme to improve the main road through Godshill in November following consultation with the local community.

The work will improve the section between Godshill Primary School and the main car park – a section that has been identified as requiring improvement through feedback from the local community and Island Roads’ own inspections and data.

Work is planned to start on November 2 and pause on Friday, December 11, for the Christmas period. Work will then resume on Monday, January 4, with the intention of finishing on January 15. However, while every effort will be made to keep to the programme, there is a possibility of work being interrupted by extreme weather, so the scheme has been permitted to last until January 29.

The project involves the excavation and then reconstruction of large areas of the highway. This will address the underlying ground issues that have caused the highway to deteriorate in the ten years since it was last resurfaced.

With the foundations strengthened, Island Roads who collectively deliver the Island highway services with the Isle of Wight Council, will return to the site next year, most likely in April, to resurface the entire road over several nights, with the road re-opened during the daytime.

Because the upcoming work requires deeper-than-usual excavations, the road will be closed at all times from Monday to Friday throughout the project. However, if safe to do so, Island Roads aims to re-open the road at weekends between Friday evenings and Monday mornings. It will be fully re-opened during the pause in work over Christmas and New Year.

Island Roads has scheduled the work as late as possible in the year, as many of the businesses Island Roads has spoken to during a recent visit said they relied on the holiday trade right up until the end of the October half term.

The work has also been split into three phases to minimise disruption.

The diversion route during the closure is via Rookley – Blackwater – Arreton – Ventnor Road & Canteen Road, Apse Heath. There is no planned work on the diversion during the Godshill work.

An Island Roads spokesperson said: “We have taken steps to minimise the impact of this scheme, but unfortunately it is not possible to undertake work of this nature without causing some disruption, and we’d like to thank residents in advance for their understanding.

“We have spoken first to local councillors and then to Godshill businesses, and their feedback has been instrumental in the decision to begin the work in November.

“Unfortunately, it is impossible to schedule this work at a time that will suit everyone. Although there was a consensus about a November start, we know some people in the village will still face challenges, and we will continue to work with them to provide as much assistance as possible. This includes Godshill Primary School.”

“We’d like to thank the Godshill community for their engagement so far. We will continue to keep villagers and the wider travelling public updated before and during the works.”

These updates will also be shared on the Island Roads website www.islandroads.com – where there is an information page dedicated to the scheme – and via social media. If you would like to receive regular updates on the scheme, then please contact CIPAdmin@islandroads.com.

Residents will shortly receive letters explaining more about the scheme.

The scheme will be the first planned major upgrade of the strategic highway network since May, as Island Roads plans its significant work outside of the main summer season to support the tourism economy.