AN ISLE of Wight road closed after a rockfall, is set to reopen after more than five months, using technology more commonly seen on a Grand Prix racing circuit.

Gills Cliff Road in Ventnor opens tomorrow (Friday), on completion of major safety work.

The road was closed on safety grounds, after a significant rockfall sent tons of debris cascading onto the pavement and road on February 23.

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(Image: Contributed)

David Vrba, managing director of DDGA, Tash Dix, the Isle of Wight Council's service director for waste, environment and planning, and Madeline Clewett, Island Roads geotechnical engineer.David Vrba, managing director of DDGA, Tash Dix, the Isle of Wight Council's service director for waste, environment and planning, and Madeline Clewett, Island Roads geotechnical engineer. (Image: Contributed)

A set of traffic lights were destroyed in the rockfall, which saw boulders so big, they had to be broken up before they could be removed.

Since then, vegetation, including sizable trees, have been removed, along with other loose material.

Island Roads has worked with the Isle of Wight Council to design and approve a safety scheme, that would allow the road to be re-opened.

Island company DDGA has anchored high tensile steel netting to the rockface, using 82 rock anchors (or dowels).

The 350 square metre-plus of netting will stabilise the rockface and prevent any boulders that may become loose, fell onto the road.

Traffic lights wrecked in February's rockfall in Gills Cliff Road.Traffic lights wrecked in February's rockfall in Gills Cliff Road. (Image: County Press)

The netting is the same as that used for vehicle restraint systems on the Grand Prix circuit.

Another Island firm, Greenscapes Tree Care, also played a key role in the project, by supplying a specialist 'cherry picker' — the only of its kind on the Island — which allowed safe working access to the 14m cliff face and the management of trees established on it.

Island Roads' geotechnical engineer, Madeline Clewett, said: “Given the height of the cliff, the restricted nature of the site, and the fact areas of the cliff face were unstable in the aftermath of the main fall, this has been a complex project to deliver.

“Local partners DDGA has extensive knowledge of the area and, together, we are pleased to say the project will be completed on schedule.

“We understand the importance of opening the road, particularly given the other challenges in and around Ventnor, so we're delighted this work means it is now safe to do so.”

David Vrba, managing director of DDGA said: “It was a job full of technical challenges, but the team worked well to deliver solutions to restore access.”