A PROJECT to dredge Ryde Harbour is set to get underway next week, meaning access to the public slipway will be limited.

Commencing on Monday, September 20, 1,500 cubic metres of sand will be removed from the harbour by local contractors, Reynolds and Read.

The work will be carried out across three phases, and the Isle of Wight Council has agreed to do the work before ownership of the harbour is handed to Ryde Town Council.

To maximise the working times, the works will coincide with spring tides. They are as follows:

• Monday, September 20 to Saturday, September 25.

• Wednesday, October 6 to Monday, October 11.

• Monday, October 18 to Saturday, October 23.

Welcoming the scheme, Cllr Phil Jordan, Cabinet member for transport and infrastructure, said: "Ryde Town Council has a business case to invest substantially in the harbour over the next three years and to improve the services and harbour offer to berth holders and visitors alike.

"Dredging to improve accessibility within the harbour is vital to these plans."

The local authority says the sand will be removed using an excavator and deposited within a compound nearby before being transported to a land based disposal site.

During the works, access to the public slipway within the harbour will be limited.