Island railway line faces further closures

A railway line is to close completely for a month, and partly for nine months.

The 8.5 mile (13.7km) Island Line on the Isle of Wight from Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin will close between 6 September and 6 October for “vital maintenance” according to South Western Railway.

Ryde Pier will close from 6 September until May 2025 “while life extension work continues.”

Buses will replace trains throughout the closures.

The line has already undergone closures that lasted for several months over the past few years.

The route closed for 10 months in 2021 for a complete overhaul, including track and signalling.

The pier then closed for nine months in 2022-23, with less than half of the planned work completed. Rough winter weather was blamed.

South Western Railway (SWR) said the month-long closure would include track and bridge renewals between Ryde St Johns Road and Ryde Pier Head, renovation to the footbridge at Brading station, signalling work at Ryde and bridge repairs in Sandown.

Tom McNamee, infrastructure director for Network Rail’s Wessex region, said: “Part of the track and infrastructure has become life-expired and extreme weather is contributing to the acceleration of the degradation of the railway.

“We recognise there is never a convenient time to close the line, but we have waited to do so until after the important summer period.”

Mark Dunn, general manager on Island Line, said: “Due to the complex nature of the repairs and refurbishments at Ryde Pier, which aim to give the historic structure a further 60 years of use, a further long-term closure is required.”

When the line reopens from Ryde Esplanade in October, a full service of two trains an hour has been promised.

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