Manx Grand Prix: Mountain Road closes for verge maintenance

The A18 Mountain Road has been closed between Ramsey and the Bungalow on five evenings

Motorists are being warned to expect disruption on the A18 Mountain Road to allow for verge maintenance ahead of the Manx Grand Prix.

The road, which is the main route between the Isle of Man capital and the north of the island, is set to shut in the evenings from Monday to Friday.

The closures will run between 18:30 and 22:30 BST.

Summer growth along the carriageway will be trimmed back to improve visibility and safety.

The closures, which will be in place between Barrule Park in Ramsey and the Creg Ny Baa, will allow the work to be carried out before the event at the end of August.

A spokesman for Department of Infrastructure said the annual hedge and verge cutting would ensure the vegetation did not "impinge on the carriageway or obstruct the hundreds of verge master safety markers that line sloped areas at the edge of the road".

Due to the nature of the road and the hundreds of verge markers lining parts of it, the work could not be done using a tractor-mounted flail and many areas had to be finished with hand-operated strimmers, he said.

Closures were necessary to ensure the safety of the staff carrying out the work, but it was being carried out in the evening to minimise the disruption to commuter traffic and the two cafes open on Snaefell, he said.

Other minor works would also be carried out while the road was shut where possible, he added.

Road sweeping will also be carried out each night.