Highways boss says Isle of Wight Military Road won't collapse "anytime soon"

The Isle of Wight’s iconic Military Road is not going to collapse ‘anytime soon’, a senior figure from Island Roads has said.

Island Roads’ service director, Steve Ashman, made the claim in response to a question from Bob Seely, former Isle of Wight MP and Freshwater Parish Council’s current vice-chair, after giving a presentation on the highway at a public meeting on Monday.

Mr Ashman said his organisation would continue to monitor the road until risks reach a level when the road needs to be closed.

Held at Freshwater’s West Wight Sports and Community Centre, the meeting was called by Freshwater South’s new county councillor, Becca Cameron.

Cllr Cameron warned of a ‘serious risk to life’ and expressed alarm over the thoroughfare’s close proximity to the cliff edge.

The Military Road is affected by coastal and landward erosion – the council said it has an ‘uncertain’ lifespan in a briefing issued last month.

In February last year, County Hall’s director of community services, Colin Rowland, said the thoroughfare could be washed away by the sea in between 2-10 years’ time.

Cllr Seely asked:

“What’s the position with the actual physical safety of the road – is it going to suddenly fall way when there’s a bus on it, God forbid?”

Mr Ashman responded:

“You do have some qualified people looking at it – I’ve got a degree in structural engineering, I’ve got geologists working in my team – we deal with the day-to-day looking at it and identifying whether it’s safe in the short-term.“We’re not looking long-term, we’re managing the road – the perspective, is it still safe for you guys to still drive it?

“The road isn’t going to collapse immediately, anytime soon. It is getting closer to failing in a few places – we will continue to monitor until some point we think the risk is too great and the road needs to be closed.“The way this area acts is not like Leeson Road.”

County Hall’s recent Military Road briefing says:

“The lifespan for the Military Road is uncertain and is dependent upon a number of geological and geotechnical factors in the areas of the road most affected by coastal and landward erosion.

“This includes at Site 14 Brooklands Chine (Brook) and Site 15 Shippards Chine (Compton Farm), and Afton Down.“Dialogue has taken place with the Department for Transport (DfT) over the feasibility of funding works to maintain the Military Road, including the possibility of a rerouting of the road, at an estimated cost of £20 million to £25 million.

“DfT have advised the council, however, that although the value of the route to local communities and the tourism value is recognised, the economic case for these works would not meet the current criteria for national highways capital funding and the scheme would need to compete with other schemes on a national level.“

A review will be carried out by the council on emergency management arrangements.”