Sandbanks locals ‘trapped’ by roadworks
Access road to exclusive Dorset retreat reduced to one-way at a time as leak repairs overrun
Sandbanks residents have complained that they are “trapped” on the luxury peninsula with roadworks blocking the only route to the mainland for two months. The enclave in Poole Harbour, Dorset, has been home to the rich and famous. Rick Stein, the celebrity chef, owns a restaurant on Sandbanks, where tourists flock to marvel at its golden beaches. But repairs to a sewer pipe on Shore Road, the only way in and out of the exclusive strip, have reduced traffic to one lane.
‘Thick layers of concrete below ground have made it difficult to isolate and repair the leak, so best and safest option is to reline pipe’
‘It was impossible to get off in the heatwave, so some people just gave up. It was taking more than an hour’
SANDBANKS residents have complained that they are “trapped” on the luxury peninsula thanks to two months of roadworks blocking the only route to the mainland.
The millionaires’ enclave in Poole Harbour, Dorset, has been home to the likes of the football managers Harry Redknapp and Tony Pulis.
The celebrity chef Rick Stein also owns a restaurant on Sandbanks, where tourists flock to marvel at its golden beaches.
But emergency repairs to a sewer pipe on Shore Road, the way in and out of the exclusive strip, began last month and temporary traffic lights have reduced it to a single lane.
The works were only supposed to last for two days, but have now been extended to eight weeks – late July – after contractors struggled with “thick concrete”.
It has infuriated residents who say they are unable to leave to go to work, do their shopping or take their children to sit exams, because of traffic gridlock.
There have been reports of cars queuing for a mile back to the turning for the Sandbanks chain ferry, meaning it cannot unload.
One bus is said to have taken two hours to get through the roadworks while residents have been unable to leave the peninsula at peak times of the day, especially over the jubilee weekend and the recent heatwave, which has seen an influx of tourists.
And with the busy summer season around the corner there are concerns the conjestion will worsen.
“The problem is there’s only one way in and out of Sandbanks and it’s like a bottleneck, if you live there you are trapped at peak times,” David Morely, chairman of the Sandbanks Community Group, told The Daily Telegraph.
“I’ve had residents telling me they’ve got particular concerns around getting kids to exams on time, they’re worried about emergency access with these jams, and then of course in the good weather there are lots of problems getting off Sandbanks.
“If you’re a resident you need to get off to go to work, do your shopping. It was impossible to get off in the heatwave, so some people just gave up.
“It was taking more than an hour to leave and it’s very disruptive to people’s lives.”
Mohan Iyengar, a local councillor for Sandbanks, added: “Anything stretching through July won’t be acceptable.
“We’ll have traffic chaos for residents and visitors.”
A spokesman for Wessex Water said: “Thick layers of concrete below ground have made it difficult to precisely isolate and repair the leak, so we believe the best and safest option is to reline the pipe.
“This will prolong the life of the sewer by at least 50 years and reduce the risk of collapse, flooding and potential environmental damage.
“We appreciate the Shore Road repair continues to impact road users, visitors and the community and we’ll do everything we can to complete the work as quickly as possible.”
Properties in Sandbanks had an average price of £1.4million over the last year.