Motorists in the south are enduring long delays and tailbacks as they journey north.
It’s creating a headache for road users, particularly at rush hour and when parents are dropping off and collecting their children from Arbory School.
Many have questioned why the one-way system was brought in at the beginning of the school year. The measure was introduced last Friday (September 13) and continues until 6pm on Saturday, September 28 at the latest.
Local politicians weren’t consulted on the scheme beforehand and Juan Watterson, Rushen MHK has aired his frustrations: ’It’s been the bane of my life this summer with the works on Shore Road and soon to come on Beach Road too. I’m afraid everything that has happened has been without chatting to the local MHKs first, which hasn’t helped the situation.’
He continued: ’It took me almost 30 minutes to get from Croit e Caley to Duck Street this morning. I phoned DoI to ask what their masterplan was to counter this, and was told that they were coming down this morning (on Monday) to monitor the situation.
’This being done, apart from spacing some cones out we can expect much of the same for the next two weeks as an extra few hundred cars compete with Arbory School drop on what is effectively a one lane highway with passing places from 8.30am onwards.’
He explained the one-way direction was suggested by Bus Vannin as being the least disruptive to their services.
Police and ambulance services also preferred this one- way route as the easiest and quickest route to get to Port Erin and Port St Mary and the southern part of Rushen.
A suggestion the one-way flow be reversed in the afternoon was discounted because of the increased risk of an inattentive driver coming the wrong way and causing a collision.
Having parents park in a field opposite school instead of outside was also discounted as it would introduce additional movements on and off the carriageway which would cause additional blockages.
It would also introduce an additional risk of young children crossing the carriageway when the road is at its busiest.
One area of victory for Mr Watterson is he successfully lobbied to have Port St Mary’s Beach Road closure delayed.
The road will be closed in three phases until December 31 for water mains replacement. It was meant to start on Monday (September 23).
Mr Watterson wrote: ’The prospect of having Beach Road closed was a bridge too far, so at my request that has been delayed until the works on Shore Road are finished. Communications will commence next week with residents on Beach Road getting flyers from the MUA about the phasing of the work.’
He said: ’There has been no consultation and poor communication. They put schemes out to tender months in advance, why can’t they communicate with the public so they can provide input?’
A DoI spokesman said:’The school has been the major point of congestion during the mornings ... but conditions improve after 9am.
’School traffic has eased as more parents are walking their children along the pavement rather than take their cars, and this has helped a great deal. To further address delays, parking is now suspended on both sides of the road on Main Road, Ballabeg, between the junctions with Friary Park and Three Roads at Duck Street, Ballabeg. Affected residents have received letters and the area is coned.
’The one-way system remains in place, the only change being that the speed limit on Shore Road has been reduced from 40mph to 10mph on safety grounds. As well as protecting workers operating in the highway, the restriction is also in place as planing has exposed some ironwork which is hazardous for road users.
’Suggestions have been made about reversing the one-way system but following discussion with colleagues in the emergency services the decision has been made to retain the current south-bound flow. Police and ambulance services have both identified Gansey as the easiest and quickest route to get services to the south.’
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