Isle of Wight road shows fresh cracks after recent movement

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On the Newport Road, which separates the upper and lower parts of Ventnor, the cracks appeared over the past few days, in an area recently repaired by Island Roads.

The road was closed in early December after a dip appeared, amid damage to a sewer, then reopened just before Christmas after repairs to two areas were made. 

READ MORE: Ventnor road closure could be on the cards following land movement

An Island Roads spokesperson said: “Newport Road (The Graben) is a particularly unique geological feature that is often subject to ground movement.

"The area is monitored by specialist electronic equipment installed in the ground, as well as visual inspections of any surface changes. 

“The ground monitoring has shown enhanced movement in recent weeks which has also resulted in surface cracks appearing.  

"This is not unexpected, given the ongoing geological movement in the area and the prolonged periods of rainfall we have been experiencing, and has been mirrored in other parts of Ventnor. 

"The movement at this point has eased, but we continue to closely monitor the situation.

“We will continue on an ongoing basis to assess and repair, as necessary, any highway defects resulting from the ongoing geological movement in the area.

"Also, consideration is being given to the most appropriate timescale for any current repairs, in the context of the closure of Leeson Road and other traffic management arrangements in the area.”

A large void closed the road in May, 2023, and in previous years.

Meanwhile, in Bonchurch, Leeson Road's access to Shanklin remains closed until further notice.

Monitoring and further technical work is to be undertaken this month (February) following the Bonchurch landslide on December 10 last year.

If the Graben area is closed for maintenance in the future while Leeson Road remains closed, the only access into Ventnor will be via Whitwell.

When this happened in December, HGV vehicles were asked to adhere to a one-way system to ease the flow of traffic.