From 18th October until 17th November, the Island Line on the Isle of Wight will see some closures to allow for work to be carried out.

There will be a two-part closure, with the whole line closed from 18th October to 3rd November.

While work is carried out in the Ryde area, on the 3rd November, trains will only run between Ryde St John’s Road and Shanklin.

The work will involve replacing switches and crossings at Ryde Esplanade, replacing rail between Ryde Esplanade and Ryde St John’s Road, and refurbishing Ryde St John’s Footbridge.

Alongside this, they will be making the line safer by improving fences at Rink Road and carrying out other track improvement work and inspections to ensure a smoother journey.

Lastly, they will be managing vegetation to prevent as much leaf fall as possible, affecting services.

Rail replacement buses will be in place to keep passengers moving.

“We are very sorry for the latest line closure on the Isle of Wight and we know that residents are frustrated with the disruption. We have chosen this time to close the line as it is after the summer season to ensure disruption is kept to a minimum.

“Conditions in Ryde Tunnel are some of the most extreme in the country with pumps needed to keep the line dry. By having the whole line closed, we are able to carry out extensive maintenance and assessments over the whole line and can make immediate improvements where possible. We can also identify which areas need more extensive work to allow Island Line to thrive for years to come.”

Speaking on behalf of South Western Railway and Network Rail, George Murrell, Wessex route renewals director