Isle of Wight beauty spot Ventnor Cascades to have new railings

The project will see the installation of 140m of railings that respect the Victorian character of the seafront and meet current safety standards, Island Roads said today.

The walkway will also be resurfaced as part of the project which is due to begin on September 4 and last approximately 27 weeks.

The Cascades will remain open to traffic at all times.

There will be two periods when temporary traffic signals will be required, while excavation of the existing kerbing and footway takes place.

However, the excavations mean the footpath will not be useable. A diversion route will be in place.

Project manager Nathaniel Saunders said: “Rene Howe Walk is within a conservation area and so we have liaised closely with the Isle of Wight Council’s Conservation Officer to ensure the new railings and bollards are in keeping to with the local character.

“The new railings will be vertical as opposed to the current horizontal style as vertical railings are more compliant with the required safety standards.

"They will also need to be set in new concrete foundations which means we will have to excavate much of the current footway and it is this element – plus the need to erect a lot of scaffolding - that means the project will take around 27 weeks."

The work has been scheduled to avoid the main summer season but using as many weeks as possible before the winter months, when working could be affected by shorter daylight hours and lower temperatures.