DRILLING work on three exploratory boreholes on the main Ventnor to Shanklin road devastated by a major landslide last year, is progressing well and on target for completion on schedule, according to the Isle of Wight Council.

Work on Leeson Road, Ventnor, is "progressing well", a spokesperson for the local authority, said in a statement today (Wednesday, October 2). 

The boreholes are being sunk to depths of up to 130m, to help the Isle of Wight Council and Island Roads further understand the ground conditions and to allow additional monitoring equipment to be installed.

Read more: Works on Isle of Wight landslide affected road on schedule

With the area being unstable, it is hoped, from data retrieved from the enhanced monitoring, an early-warning scheme for geological movements can be agreed, so Leeson Road can be re-opened safely.

Drilling on the first borehole is now complete, with the second borehole reaching a depth of 100m.

Progress was interrupted on Sunday (September 29), when a casing — used to house the core samples taken from the ground — temporarily became stuck deep underground.

Read more: Isle of Wight landslide affected Leeson Road to close again

The casing has now been retrieved, with drilling expected to recommence once the rig has been re-set.

"This type of issue is not unexpected in such complex work, and we remain on course to complete the project within the published timeline," the council added.

The Keep Ventnor Moving campaign to keep residents updated and get the roads open in Ventnor, has been expressing concern progress on the Leeson Road works, now in its fourth week, is progressing too slowly.

Read more: Isle of Wight Leeson Road reopens seven months after landslip

But the local authority, in partnership with Island Roads, says works are going according to their schedule, to have them completed in the ten to 12-week timeframe, before Christmas.

Isle of Wight Council leader, Cllr Phil Jordan, who is also the Cabinet Member for Highways PFI, Transport and Infrastructure, had said he hoped the works would be completed within a five to six week period.

Members of Keep Ventnor Moving had the same hopes.

Keep Ventnor Moving is also concerned about the state of The Graben, a notorious stretch of road between Upper and Lower Ventnor, which is prone to movement and cracks on the road surface.

However, the council recently moved to allay concerns to residents, visitors and businesses, by saying the road, which joins Newport Road, is planned to remain open.