By Lucy Morgan Audience and Content Editor
The Southern Water eel protection work will last six months, but there will be a diversion via a nearby bridleway. A diversion route has been agreed by Southern Water, as it starts conservation work to protect rare eels, adjacent to the Sandown to Newport cycle path. The project will take six months and it caused outcry earlier this year, when it looked like part of the popular cycle and walking route would be closed for the entire duration of the project. Now, a diversion via a nearby bridleway, suitable for pedestrians and cyclists, has been given the green light.
Southern Water is installing eel screens - to allow them to migrate safely. Islanders are asking why the cycle path must be completely closed, along a stretch at Alverstone. Southern Water insists the closure, between Longwood Lane and Alverstone Road, is necessary for safety reasons and said work would take six months. It told the County Press in a statement: “We are sorry for disruption caused by works to install eel screens at our Sandown River Intake site on the River Yar, which is part of Southern Water’s Eel Screens Programme, a £20million plus investment programme. “To ensure we can complete this work safely it will be necessary to fully close the River Yar cycleway during the construction period, between the junctions with Longwood Lane and Alverstone Road.