Portsmouth's Eastern Road closures have become more than a joke - they have become a meme

The memes across social media (humorously edited pictures for the uninitiated) have been the only highlight of the miserable situation as yet another leak was discovered on the aging sewage pipework on Eastern Road. This left the good people of Portsmouth and beyond deciding whether to laugh or cry. Some of the memes were a spoof of Groundhog Day – indeed Bill Murray would not have been amiss reporting from the scene, others an edit of Southern Water signs or a take on the never ending journey which Chis Rea seems to take every Christmas. That is basically how many of us have felt when we have been stuck on in our cars or on the buses.

Those in the south of the city who didn’t venture to the north may have been blissfully unaware of the total gridlock, but for those of us trying to get off and onto Portsea Island, or even travelling anywhere near the north of the city, it was a joke which was just not funny.

We all know the problems our city faces with its roads. With the bulk of Portsmouth made up of an island with three roads in and three roads out it is never a picnic when one of them has a lane closure for a short period of time - let alone is completely out of action for days on end. And yes I know Hayling Island has it even worse before anyone mentions it.

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We put up with it for the short term – but it is fair to say that enough is enough now. Not only have we had the Eastern Road issues to contend, but the gridlock has been compounded by months of works to upgrade the gas main on Hilsea’s London Road which has been long-planned and is obviously very important. But has just added to the misery. And we can only thank Portsmouth City Council for having the good sense for arranging for the southbound lane closure outside The News Centre to be delayed from its original start date of Monday to this morning (Wednesday).

Over the past few months we have also had the city centre road works to create new bus lanes and make ‘green travel’ options more appealing in and out of the city. It is all very noble, but in situations like this those green travel measures will be about as much use as a chocolate teapot for those trying to get in and out of the city. No-one can even get to the park and ride sat Tipner, and the buses are stuck in traffic in the areas where there are no bus lanes -which clearly cannot be on every road in our compact little city.

We can only wish that this trilogy of pain caused by the Eastern Road saga was at an end. There needs to be a longer term solution to fixing the pipes along that stretch so they no longer leak. A longer term and more substantial project to replace the historic infrastructure which, as well as being old, is having to cope with additional pressures caused by huge volumes of rainwater water going down our drains when we have the increasing periods of heavy rain in a short window of time. We also have the pressures of the additional new homes which are being connected to a network which is no-longer fit for purpose.

Southern Water has promised it is working on a plan for a permanent solution. We know it will involve some more pain for the city and in all likelihood more road closures while work is carried out but we hope that all care is taken to keep our city moving because any goodwill on the issue has now been well and truly eroded. The worry is of course, is this just the tip of the iceberg? If it has happened at Eastern Road then where else might it happen?

I, like the rest of the city, will wait and see what is drawn up – and keep my fingers crossed there is not a emergency fourth closure any time soon!