Investigation into Island's sticky situation

By Richard Wright

Monday, May 28, 2012

 

ISLE of Wight Council highways engineers are continuing to work with the mainland contractor to determine why miles of the Island’s newly re-surfaced roads are melting — and what to do about it.

Strategic manager for highways and transport Peter Hayward said: "We are working with the contractor to determine the cause of this problem.

"The contractor reports that the issue may be caused by the recent rapid rise in temperature as this has caused issues elsewhere in the country.

"The recognised solution is to spread additional granite chippings and this is being done as required and at the contractor’s expense.

"We do apologise for any inconvenience and assure residents we are working to remedy the situation as swiftly as we can."

The £900,000-plus contract was awarded to the Birmingham-based Kiely Brothers but was never fully completed — ironically because of the recent wet weather.

Island contractor J.A.Dempsey Civil Engineering on Saturday spread granite dust along sections of Brading Down Road; Sandown Road, Bembridge; Newport Road, Apse Heath;Winford crossroads; Briddlesford Road and Quarr Hill, Binstead.

The material was previously spread at Blackwater Shute, where it caused dust problems.

Drivers have been advised by the council to drive carefully due to loose dust and "reduced visibility" at times.

Reporter: richardw@iwcpmail.co.uk

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by paul gerrard

31st May 2012, at 00:53:12

I am not aloud to put what I think on this page ,because it was removed by " The Isle of Wight County Press " But I do Support What Alan Naylor Has Said,Its a shame that our LOCAL NEWSPAPER will not go out and inspect the state of the Islands Roads that have been dressed...

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by alan naylor

29th May 2012, at 22:06:21

unbeilvable the isle of wight people must be asleep or just d ont care not only for their love ones safe being but their islands repuation

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by Douglas Bailey

29th May 2012, at 19:24:38

Just got back from Cyprus and drove along one of the roads that is falling apart,I wondered what the grey dust was.How is it that all the tarmac roads I drove on in Cyprus were not a sticky mess but were in tempratures a lot higher than here, yet these roads remind me of the cowboys who call on you to do your drives and a week later the tarmac breaks up.
Has any one checked the work carried out on the mainland done by Kiely Brothers the contractor responsible for this mess?? Just Asking.

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by Richard Taylor

29th May 2012, at 09:31:18

Not sure it's the road workers fault Michael. We pay council staff to tender for work and write the spec. We have now got what some dope has ordered and paid for.

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by michael reed

28th May 2012, at 17:32:55

it seems the council again have been taken 'taken for a ride', instead of there being so many chiefs sat in county hall doing nothing, they should cut them out and get more island workers to do the work in stead of getting incompetent 'workers' from England do the work and leaving the roads in a very dangerous state

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by Kevin Barclay-Jay

28th May 2012, at 15:48:31

remember folks..these people are elected by us to do a job.....They continuesly fail to do that job. Next year we can say bye bye to them

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by Lettie Fitzsimmons

28th May 2012, at 11:02:44

The dust they covered the road with is now making it lethal to drive over, already witnessed two cars sliding on it. What ever the council seem to do they get it wrong every time. Perhaps we need a change in council, to individuals who know what they're doing. Funny how Island firm is good enough to use when it goes wrong.Maybe spend a little more pennies in future and do a proper job in the first place. I for one would have been happy to pay a little extra, as in the long run i would have saved on the damage that has occurred on my car.
Come on IWC get your act together and stop treating Island people like idiots and expecting us to put up with your incompetence and foot the bill for your mistakes. Enough is enough.

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by Paul Strauss

28th May 2012, at 10:42:52

I've had a great idea - don't re-do the roads in the rainy springtime, and when you do re-do them, try using a substance that is impervious to the Death Valley-like heat of the English summer. And whilst we're at it, every year between October and February we experience a period of cold weather called winter, so the road will need to withstand the occasional light frost. And make it waterproof incase of rain.

Any views or opinions presented in the comments above are solely those of the author and do not represent those of the Isle of Wight County Press.

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