Town Council News
Ryde Town Council - Your Town Councillors are here to help and to represent the people of Ryde. Find out what they do by reading the agendas and minutes and how you can have your say in local matters. If they are unable to deal with your query, they will happily point you in the right direction, and represent you if necessary. For further information please visit RYDE TOWN COUNCIL.
New Town Council Elected
A new 15 member Town Council for Ryde has now been elected, with one vacancy remaining in the Haylands Ward. The newly elected Councillors will sign their Declarations of Acceptance of Office a the Town Council's Annual Meeting at 7pm on 14 June 2010 in the Church Hall, Garfield Methodist Church. All councillors details on this website will be updated as soon possible.
RYDE CELEBRATES THE FESTIVE SEASON IN STYLE
Saturday 5 December will see Ryde transformed with lots of festive activities and events. The Town Council has given financial support to Ryde Business Association and the Friends of the Carnival Learning Centre towards the Ryde Festive Fun Day and the Lantern Parade. Both groups have joined forces along with Ryde Arts Festival and Ryde Carnival Association to make Ryde the place to shop and visit with market stalls, street entertainment and much much more.
The town will again play host to the Lantern Parade, which leaves Dover Park School at 5.30pm, when we will all get the chance to see how hard the local schools have been working to create their lanterns. Ryde Arts will be holding a day of special events as part of the Fun Day at the St Thomas's Heritage Centre between 10am and 4pm; these include the Medina Community Choir, Andrew Pellow and Friends, Rainbow Wight Singers with the Loft Poets and Seasonal Strings. There will be all day wreath- and garland-making workshops, and seasonal warm refreshments will be available throughout the day.
Programmes for the day will be available from the Isle of Wight Tourist Information Centre, and various shops.
New community bus service for Ryde
Cllr Ian Stephens with Somerfield’s Margaret Brine by the bus
July saw the launch of a brand new free Community Bus Service for the Elderly, provided by Ryde Taxis. They are operating a 16-seater bus with an electrically-operated low step, which is especially suitable for the less mobile elderly passengers.
The service runs from 1pm to 6pm, Monday to Friday, from Somerfield’s car park. It’s in two loops - one through Binstead, and one through Haylands, both returning via the Esplanade.
Earlier this year, Southern Vectis announced the re-routing of the No 4 bus away from Binstead and Haylands. After a couple of heated public meetings, a group of local residents - Brian Absalom, Chris Harris, and RTC Cllrs Ivor Warlow and Brian Harris - got together with IWC Cllr Ian Stephens and thrashed out various ideas. Ian placed an advert in the paper for people to run a community service, and, following meetings with responders, Ryde Taxis were selected as partners.
Southern Vectis are now running a replacement coach through Binstead and Haylands to Ryde, but this stops just after lunch. Pensioners were either staying in for the afternoon, or having to use taxis, so Andrew Younie, owner of Ryde Taxis, stepped in to fill the breach in the afternoon with the free bus. Initial responses from users have been very encouraging, with the bus being described as a lifeline, enabling people to book doctors’ appointments at more convenient times, or helping friends to meet up for lunch again.
Andrew is also offering a ‘£1.50 straight-home’ voucher for a taxi back to the front door, for those with heavy shopping.
As part of the community effort, Ryde SWAG [Ryde South West Action Group] organised and printed timetables, which have been delivered around the area.
Free Bus to Ryde
Ryde Taxis are operating a free Community Bus Service for the Elderly starting on 15th July 2009.
The service runs in two loops one through Binstead and the other through Haylands. Both routes go via Ryde Esplanade to Somerfield and run Monday to Friday from 1.00pm to 6.00pm.
Return Journeys should be reserved with the driver or at Somerfield's Service Desk.
Alternatively you can ask for a "£1.50 Straight Home Voucher" for a Ryde Taxi to take you direct to your door.
Commuinity Bus Time Tables - All timings are approximate and subject to change
| Approximate Times | Binstead Loop: Stops |
| 1.00, 2.00, 3.00, 4.00, 5.00, 6.00 | Somerfield - carpark Mayfield Road - shop Broadway Crescent - Maybrick Rd Wellington Road - Victory Close Wellington Road - Waterloo Cres Trafalgar Drive Hillrise Avenue - bottom Hillrise Avenue - top |
| 1.10, 2.10, 3.10, 4.10, 5.10, 6.10 | Binstead Lodge Road Parkway Parkway Binstead Lodge Road Hillrise Avenue - top Hillrise Avenue - bottom Trafalgar Drive |
| 1.20, 2.20, 3.20, 4.20, 5.20, 6.20 | Wellington Road - Waterloo Cres Wellington Road - Victory Close Broadway Crescent - Maybrick Rd Mayfield Road - shop Pell Lane - school Esplanade - pier |
| 1.30, 2.30, 3.30, 4.30, 5.30, 6.30 | Somerfield - carpark |
| Approximate Times | Haylands Loop: Stops |
| 1.40, 2.40, 3.40, 4.40, 5.40, 6.40 | Somerfield - car park Ratcliffe Avenue - Pellhurst Rd Pellhurst Road - Shackleton Bettesworth Road - Lake Huron Bettesworth Road Bettesworth Road - school Ashey Road - old shop Esplanade - pier |
| 1.50, 2.50, 3.50, 4.50, 5.50, 6.50 | Somerfield - car park |
Ryde Regatta Family Fun Day Rescued
Readers may have seen in the County Press that the Ryde Regatta Committee felt they could not organise the forthcoming regatta.The Town Council agreed to step in to organise the event for this year, which will take place on Eastern Gardens on Saturday 11th July. With a focus on fun and entertainment for all the family, It will coincide with the start of Ryde Arts Festival and the Arts Parade, and will end with the traditional huge firework display.
Ryde High Rocks!
Another event also happening on the 11th, but in Sheffield, is the first-ever national final of UK Rock Challenge, featuring Ryde High School. Their team came third in the regional finals in Portsmouth recently to win the right to perform there, and is now having to raise funds to enable the cast and staff - more than a hundred in total - to travel up north.
