A group of ladies known as the Vectis Belles brought a splash of colour to the control hub of Island Roads during a visit to hear more about Island Roads operations.
The group of nine ladies, dressed in the customary red hat and purple dresses of the Red Hat Society – a friendship group for ladies over 50 – had asked to visit Island Roads visitor centre to learn more about the company’s work on the Island.
During their visit the ladies were able to see the hub in operation, where enquiries are taken, defects recorded and jobs scheduled for action, and had a chance to hear more about aspects of the highways work on the Island.
The group were given an explanation of the seven year core investment programme to bring the Island’s roads up to the required standards and the way the Island was divided into districts to tackle the work programme. They also heard about how the company looks after other highways ‘assets’ e.g. streetlights and benches, how operational activities are carried out such as street cleansing and grass cutting and were able to raise enquiries during their visit ranging from questions about streetlighting to how Island Roads dealt with pets killed on the roads.
Vectis Belles ‘Queen’ Margaret Hedges said, “It was a really useful visit and we learnt a lot of things we didn’t know about the work that Island Roads were involved in and now have a much better understanding of the work they have been tasked with.”
Tracy Ringer, Island Roads’ Performance Manager who hosted the visit said, “It was a pleasure to meet the ladies and to be able to talk to them about our work and help answer their questions. We are always happy to receive requests from groups who wish to come to our visitor centre and we would also encourage people to come and see us when we are out and about in the community with our mobile visitor centre.”
Anyone wishing to book a group visit to the hub should contact 01983 822440. The mobile visitor centre will be in St James’ Square, Newport on 1 August from 11am-1pm and at Ryde Esplanade on 29 August from 11am-1pm.
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