Road Near Isle of Wight Landslip Site Fully Reopened

The A3055 Leeson Road, located near the area of a significant landslip that occurred almost a year ago on the Isle of Wight, has now been completely reopened. This substantial collapse, which took place on 10 December, involved 16 hectares (40 acres) of land giving way and left several residences precariously situated at the edge of a cliff. The incident necessitated the evacuation of residents from 20 homes and led to the closure of the A3055 Leeson Road, which connects Shanklin and Ventnor. Monitoring devices have been installed in boreholes extending 427ft (130m) into the ground to detect any subsequent movement. This equipment will continuously observe the area, providing an early warning should the risks of a future landslip increase. The Isle of Wight Council has stated that weekly site inspections will also be carried out, along with regular reviews of the automated data. The authority further indicated that if the road needed to be closed, details would be published on the council’s social media channels as quickly as possible. One lane of the road had been reopened for the summer holidays, before being fully closed again on 8 September. During the period of closure, drivers were diverted from Ventnor via Wroxall, and from Shanklin via Whiteley Bank.