Jill Wearing, Ventnor:

My family first came to live in Ventnor in the early 1840s and I am now in my 90th year, having lived it all in Ventnor — except for three years during the Second World War.

I have, therefore, lived through five reigns and one world war in the same elegant town — and have seen it through both good and bad times — but have to say that throughout it all, I have never been so concerned at its present parlous and unsupported state, that it finds itself in today.

There are currently several roads closed in the town — Leeson Road to Shanklin, Undercliff Drive to Niton, Madeira Road, Bath Road, Lower Gills Cliff Road, Southgrove Road and, with only two ways out of the town, Newport Road, to be closed soon.

READ MORE: 

When Newport Road is closed on June 24, that will leave Whitwell Road as the only way in and out of Ventnor!

As we know, Whitwell Road has had its issues in the fairly recent past and, should that fail at the same time, the Ventnor population — given as 5,567 in the 2021 Census — will be marooned.

What is Isle of Wight Council’s contingency plan for this eventuality — particularly regarding the emergency services?

Burying their heads in the sand will not do. New main roads need to be planned as of NOW and these plans implemented NOW! 

Let us not forget, Ventnor’s roads were all built in the mid-1800s for the odd horse and cart to use — not the heavy traffic causing a strain on all our roads that is evidenced today.

Council — act now before there are serious accidents as a result of the present road conditions.

As for funding, Isle of Wight Council put in place a dynamic team to apply for government grants — and all other agencies anywhere — to help Ventnor in her hour of need!

Of course, as has been mooted on social media the Ventnor to Wroxall railway tunnel is still there and, perhaps, that could be utilised as a route in and out of the town when refurbished.

When the urban district councils on the Island looked after their own areas, all went well.

Then came the South Wight and Medina Borough Councils, which then morphed into the Isle of Wight unitarian authority, the Isle of Wight Council.

I thought this a reasonable idea at the time — thinking all the services could be operated together for the good of all. How wrong I was!

Over the years, Ventnor has been sold down the river by the Isle of Wight Council.

The Botanic Garden, the Winter Gardens (sold for £1 and now apparently in a sorry state), Ventnor Park and The Cascade, having to be taken over by Ventnor Town Council and, the many footpaths and favourite walks neglected and unmaintained, to name but a few, and whose maintenance is currently undertaken — cheerfully and willingly — by the many volunteers that Ventnor is blessed with.

Come on Isle of Wight Council. Wake up to the fact you have our lovely town’s fate in your hands and stop shovelling Ventnor down The Graben, in the hope it will go away quietly. IT WON’T!