Section of Mountain Road to close for roadworks

Part of the Mountain Road will be closed from 09:30 until 16:30 BST on Tuesday

One of the Isle of Man's major routes will be closed for much of Tuesday so that work to improve grip on the road surface can be completed.

The Bungalow-Creg Ny Baa section of the Mountain Road, which links Douglas with the north of the island, will be shut between 09:30 and 16:30 BST.

The Department of Infrastructure (DoI) said the closure was for "captive shot blasting" to be undertaken, a technique used to re-profile aggregate in the road surface so as to create a rougher texture and thereby improve skid resistance.

The DoI said the work, being carried out by specialist contractors in the area of Keppel Gate, would "improve safety for all road users, particularly in wet conditions".

'Improve surface grip'

The section had been scheduled for resurfacing earlier this year as part of a broader scheme which included additional drainage, but the DoI said "due to logistical challenges that work was postponed".

The shot blasting is designed as an interim measure to improve surface grip ahead of autumn and winter.

Although the work is only expected to take one day, contingency dates of 9, 10, and 11 July are available if conditions on Tuesday are not suitable.

The closure extends to The Bungalow for additional maintenance works.

Access to The Bungalow, Snaefell Mountain Railway and both cafes will be possible from Ramsey and Tholt Y Will, while the Creg Ny Baa will be accessible from Hillberry and the Creg Ny Baa Back Road.