TOWN CENTRE IMPROVEMENTS
TOWN COUNCIL MEETING

REPORT 72/19

9 SEPTEMBER 2019

The purpose of this Report is to record the progress to date on the Town Council’s plans for the
improvement of the High Street/Pier Street main shopping area and agree the move to more detailed
planning as the basis for consultation.
NO. DETAILS
1)

BACKGROUND
a) By Minute 70/17 of its meeting of 10 July 2017 the Town Council agreed unanimously to

include the town centre as one of several areas to be included in its Regeneration Plan,
because, as the Minute records, it is:
o critical both for the town’s residents and as the core of its attraction as a destination for
visitors;
o the town’s future as an attractive tourist resort depends on developing [its] strengths;
and
o the shops, restaurants, cafes and businesses that give life to [it] need increased footfall to
ensure their survival and growth.
b) The Town Council commissioned a Disability Risk Assessment from Isle Access who provided
a detailed 36-page Report in May 2018 and a full copy of it is available here.
c) The fact that Island Roads will carry out its resurfacing of the town’s central areas at a yet

undetermined time in the financial year 2020/21 provide a once in a 25-year opportunity to
include improvement works that will address the identified risks.

d) Discussions have consequently been held with both the Isle of Wight Council and Island Roads

about how that can best be achieved; those discussions are still ongoing.
e) There are three proposals under consideration:

o A response to the all the identified safety and accessibility issues in the town centre
o Changes to the management of the Central Car Park
o A new disability friendly public toilet provision in the Central Car Park
f) Each of these is outlined in the following sections of this Report.
g) Once the possibilities have been clearly identified and costed the Town Council will consult
fully with both traders and residents.
2)

SAFETY
N & ACCESSIBILITY
a) The Disability Risk Assessment identifies safety and accessibility issues in all the area’s critical
features, as summarised in this section.
b) Pavements
o For people with mobility problems or other access needs, the elderly and parents with buggies, the width
of a footway is important. The north side throughout the High Street measures 1370 mm (very narrow).
The south side footway measures 1960 mm (allowing two wheelchairs to pass or buggies to turn).
o North side footway impassable at the bus stop when buses load and unload (i.e. outside Boots).
o Numerous trip hazards throughout the High Street and Pier Street: Gullies, weather drains, grates, service
hatches, bollards, bins, broken paving and non-fixed obstacles.
o Limited or no adequate drop kerbs in the High Street. Therefore safe crossing opportunities are limited
o No tactile paving or formal crossing points outside Boots or the High Street. Vehicle visibility when people
cross, from or to, Boots is poor. Visibility of people crossing the High Street from footways is also poor.
c)

Buses
o Bus stop next to Boots Pharmacy is on a bend preventing buses aligning parallel to the footway, and often
constricted by people parking illegally on double yellow lines

o Buses that cannot align parallel with the bus stop footway introduce dangers for disabled and vulnerable
adults embarking and alighting; and too, damage bus door ramps for those using wheelchairs and mobility
Author: Town Clerk

Page 1 of 3

Agenda item 5

 scooters, the elderly and those with visual impairments

o Nearest and unregulated crossing point of the High Street is opposite Hurst’s / Post Office. People attempt
to cross the road dodging cars, vans, buses and trucks (i.e. highly dangerous and unsafe)
d)

Crossing Points
o In the highly-trafficked area of Ventnor, accessible and safe and usable crossing points are essential.
o There are none throughout the High Street except at the traffic lights;
o For people with mobility problems or other access needs, the provision of appropriate, safe, usable and
accessible crossing facilities is essential

e)

On-street Parking
o Causes difficulties for people alighting from the driver’s side into on-coming traffic.
o Traffic congestion often experienced especially when vehicles are reversing into spaces.
o Only 12 spaces, and often not used by people with disabilities (i.e. not enough rear space).
o Vehicles parked often interfere with buses and retail businesses loading and unloading.
o Passengers alighting onto the north side footway and opening of passenger vehicle doors interfere
with people and pushchairs travelling the narrow north side footway.

o No designated ‘blue badge’ (disabled) parking bays –but does not preclude disabled vehicle drivers.
o No accessible pedestrian crossing facilities in the High Street, neither suitable dropped kerbs; and
the street is one way therefore only allowing passengers (‘near side’) to disembark safely.
3)

SAFETY & ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS
a)

Isle Access’s conclusion to their Disability Risk Assessment highlights the Town Council’s duty
to do everything possible to respond to the issues identified in (3) above:

The ‘Public Sector Equality Duty’ of the Equality Act requires public bodies such as VTC
to take positive action to remedy any ‘non-compliance’.
b)

We are being advised on the most effective positive actions that can be taken to address the
risks by the Isle of Wight Council’s Highways Engineer Gary Stretch and Island Roads’
Network Manager Kevin Burton.

c)

Kevin Burton has known Ventnor traffic issues for some 30 years with his previous role as the
Island’s Highways Manager and has provided us with an initial set of proposals of which the
major change is the widening of the north pavement enough to allow two buggies, prams or
motorised scooters without either having to go into the road.

This will mean moving the current short stay parking from the High Street to the Central Car
Park, see (4) below.
e) The Island Roads’ preliminary proposals also deal with modern standard crossing points and
moving the bus stop.
d)

A copy of their preliminary proposals is attached to this Report.
g) To date, this work has been done without charge by Kevin Burton and his design team; we now
need further work that will give us the necessary more detailed specifications for costings and
consultation with traders, their customers and other local stakeholders.
f)

4)

CHANGES TO THE CENTRAL CAR PARK
a) Clearly, the widening of the north pavement of the High Street requires the moving of the
short stay parking to free up the space and remove the other risks presented by parked vehicles
and people getting in and out of them.
b) The Town Council is proposing to move them into the Central Car Park and we are already in
discussions with the Isle of Wight Council about the changes to that Car Park this requires.
c) The Town Council has submitted a Business Case for taking over the management of the four
car parks it does not currently manage to add to the four it has successfully operated since

Author: Town Clerk

Page 2 of 3

Agenda item 5

 2015.
d)

The proposals will include the provision of at least two loading bays within the overall layout.

5)

PUBLIC TOILETS
a) The absence of an accessible, disability-friendly public toilet in the town centre itself is
something the town is frequently criticised for, given the Marlborough Road Toilet is up a
steep slope.
b) The Town Council is committed to providing a modern public toilet that combines a disability
friendly unit with either one or two uni-sex units in the Central Car Park and is in discussion
with the Isle of Wight Council about that development.

6)

FUNDING
a)

The Town Council will have to fund the town centre improvements that are additional to
Island Roads’ contractual responsibilities and will also need to fund the proposed new toilet.

b)

This is proposed to be secured through a loan from the Public Works Loan Board with
repayments needing an increase on the Precept in the range of 5-10p a week.
There will be discussions with the Isle of Wight Council about a contribution towards the
safety and accessibility aspects of the town centre improvements.

c)

7)

RECOMMENDATION
The Town Council is recommended to:
i) ask its Town Clerk and Community Development Officer to develop arrangements for
consultation with traders and residents; and
ii) agree to fund the detailed drawings from Island Roads and a planning application following
the consultation in an anticipated total of up to £5,000.

Author: Town Clerk

Page 3 of 3

Agenda item 5

 Crab Cottage

LB

25

ET
TRE
HS

HIG

66

4

o6
t
0
6

1 to 6

Clarendon

MARKE

ET
T STRE

NG

DI
LOA
ONL
Y

8

o5
t
2
5

TURN
LEFT

44
42
18

40
a
40

37a

3

6

5

5a

14 to

34

32

22

16 to 20

14
16

8

2

to

12
BL
ED

SA

DI

10 1
0a
8

1

BL
ED

SA

DI

1

2

2

8

4 to
6
12

2

1

9

5
11

1

3

1

34

7 to 11

Court

t
Alber
e
Hous

Jellicoe
House

The Garden
Flat

E
LAN

Car Park

ND

20

39

POU

ria
Victo
e
Hous

23

Notes

Long Stay
(Car Park)

Proposed widened footway
constructed using red clay block
pavers to match existing.

Existing red clay block paved
footway.

Existing bituminous (blacktop)
footway construction.

Proposed bituminous (blacktop)
footway construction.

Existing carriageway.

Date

Based upon the Ordnance Survey mapping with permission of
the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office. © Crown
Copyright Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright
and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings

Initials

Licence No. 100019229.2018

Description

Isle of Wight Council

Rev.

DRAFT

Ventnor Town
Centre

08/01/19

3

-

Mira

1 to

Sheet 1 of 1

Revision

Date

Date

High Street & Pier Street
Improvements

MRD

NTS @A1

5

17
19

1

21

1

Drawing Number

Contract Sheet No.

Scale

Checked

Drawn

Drawing Title

Project

Classification

T
REE

T
RT S

ALBE

48

37

s
nder
Sau se
Hou

rough
Hambuse
Ho

North Point

78

PH

5
33 3

ch H

ous

e

Widen existing footway to create 3.75m
carriageway (minimum) and re-pave with red clay
block paving to match existing street scene

31

Dolphin
Lodge

A 3055

Create Loading Bay in High Street
between properties 23 & 27

23
LOADING ONLY

Replace existing precast concrete
kerbing where required and adjust
block paving to suit

21

3

Coa

1 to
son
Law

Medical
Centre

1

15

46

Myrtle Villa
2
1
Widen existing footway to create 3.75m
carriageway (minimum) and re-pave with red clay

17

paving to match existing street scene
Sussexblock
Villas

11

PO

Proposed raised pedestrian crossing
facility with tactile paving. Raised table
to also act as traffic calming feature

Proposed pedestrian dropped crossing facility
with tactile paving outside of Boots / Hurst

23

25

8

1

A
30
55

24

PH

Preliminary Safety & A ccessibility improvements suggested by Island Roads
Valerian
Jasmine
Endicott

St Johns

1

Maxina

Exiting Bus Stop to be relocated
further north to accommodate new
pedestrian crossing facility

6

15

Remove existing cast iron
bollards (3 no.) from Pier Street

Replace existing precast concrete
kerbing where required and adjust
block paving to suit

7

E
E
T

2

9
PI
to
E
13
R
S
T
R

1

11

7
5

1

LB

Etchings

Sandm
ere

TBC: Tulse Hill and High Street junction to be reconfigured, restricting
access through to the High Street. Tulse Hill and Marlborough Road
to be made One Way to the west. Existing junction to be kerbed and
re-paved with red clay block paving to match existing street scene

e

a

T
EE

R
ST

PO

a

PH

Widen existing footway by approx 1.10m and
re-pave with red clay block paving to match
existing street scene

Co

ro
n

4

40

s

G
a
ra
g

H

RC

U
CH

B

TC

Pol Sta

C

44

Mont
ell

am
nh e
de us
Ho
Su

Pol Ho

h
ur
c

9

Spring Cottages

Spring
Court

50

1

R
a
m
illie

40

n

Ch

5

St Catherine's School

30

2

TULSE HILL

3
20

tio

32

10

1 to 19

ot
ta

29

33

g
e
s

34

7

Cou
rt

mar

e

8