Current highway improvement schemes

Not all highways improvement schemes fall within the scope of the contract we have with Island Roads. In certain cases, for example when government funding becomes available, we are able to commission own projects to improve junctions or certain stretches of road. This section provides details of new road improvement schemes.

A3056 Safer Road Fund Project

The Department for Transport (DfT) invited the Isle of Wight Council to submit a bid for the funding of highways improvements on the A3056, as part of their Safer Roads Fund Round 3. The DfT selected the A3056 based on traffic flow and casualty data. Our bid was successful and funding of £2,140,000 was awarded. We are now working on design and delivery.

Using the safe systems approach to road safety, the proposed measures aim to reduce the number of overall collisions, as well as the severity of the collisions that occur.

The route starts from the A3056 junction with Blackwater Hollow (A3020) and ends at the A3056 junction with Sandown Road, Lake (A3055).

The consultation on speed limits along the route A3056, closed at 12 noon on Friday 29 March 2024.

Reallocated HS2 funding

The council's planned highways investment for forthcoming financial year 2024-25 is £3.2m and includes £1m of additional investment made possible by reallocated HS2 funding. These investments are funded by Department for Transport grants.

The 2024/25 highways schemes that use the reallocated HS2 funding are:

• The renewal of a retaining wall on St John’s Road in Wroxall.
• Drainage works along two sections of National Cycling Network Route 23 (NCN23):

Ryde Transport Hub - a gateway to the Island and a destination in itself

In July 2020, we were awarded £10 million from the Government’s Transforming Cities Fund. The funding will help to improve Ryde transport interchange. The funding bid was part of a South East Hampshire Rapid Transport (SEHRT) initiative. This includes Portsmouth City Council and Hampshire County Council. The project will improve sustainable transport infrastructure and connectivity on the Island, and in and around Portsmouth city region. It will focus on improvements for cyclists, pedestrians and bus, rail and ferry users.

The project is broken down into four elements:

1. Improvements by Wightlink to transform the old tramway along Ryde Pier into a new pedestrian boardwalk.
2. Improvements by IWC and South Western Railway to Ryde Esplanade railway station to accommodate Island Line’s new trains and connect with the new pedestrian pier. The terminal building will also be refurbished to create fully accessible toilets and expanded concessions.
3. Bus terminal remodelling to provide an improved environment for pedestrians with more public amenity space, and an improved road layout to better support bus movements
4. There are also cycleway improvements. These include links to and through the interchange, linking existing cycleways to Puckpool in the east and Ladies Walk in the west.

Much of the project funding is conditional on some specific improvements being made which form the basis of the design. There are also aspects of the final design that have been influenced by the community through consultation and engagement particularly in relation to the look and feel of the public space. The following cabinet report contains details of the feedback received during the consultation period.

Construction is now well underway, and the majority of the works are anticipated to be completed early Summer 2024.