Specialist Rope Teams Tackle Island’s Toughest Highway Spots
Specialist climbers have swung into action, clearing vegetation from some of the Isle of Wight’s trickiest highway structures. Island Roads’ ‘rope teams’ have surveyed and tidied up 89 tricky sites, from bridges to retaining walls, in their first visit of the year.
Bridges and Walls Under the Microscope
These daring climbers will be back this autumn to finish the job. About a third of the sites are key bridges supporting the island’s highways and cycle tracks. Notable locations include:
- The Cement Mills Viaduct and old railway tunnel in Cowes
- Pennyfeathers Steam Bridge at Ryde
- Gully Road Footbridge at Seaview
- Ashey Chalk Pit Tunnel
- Sandown Bridge at Morton Common
- Scotchells Bridge and Skew Bridge footbridge at Lake
- Cliff Bridge at Shanklin
- Shepherds Chine, Atherfield, and Bowbridge at Godshill
Ventnor Retaining Walls Get a Makeover
A chunk of the work’s been done on retaining walls around Ventnor, including spots like Cascades, St Alban’s Steps, Bath Road, Ocean View Road, the Chimney Steps, Belgrave Road, Esplanade Road, and Alpine Road. Other tough walls are at Chine Hill, Shanklin, and Church Lane, Ryde.
Why Clearing Vegetation Matters
Island Roads Structures Engineer Victoria Keefe explained why the work’s vital: “Roots burying into mortar and stonework can weaken bridges and walls over time.”
She added, “Each site is checked beforehand to avoid disturbing nesting birds. If birds are present, work is delayed until autumn.”
Victoria also revealed the challenge involved: “Many of these sites are hard to reach, which is why we bring in specialists using ropes and climbing gear to survey and take action. Though unseen by most road users, this work is key to keeping our highway network safe and sound.”
