The Pier Today
Today the pier is still a major gateway for passenger traffic to and from the Isle of Wight, with the Island Line train running from Ryde Pier Head station (at the pier head), via Ryde Esplanade down to the eastern side of the Island. The Wightlink catamaran runs regularly between Ryde and Portsmouth. It is possible to drive along the pier, and there is car parking on the large pier head.
From August 2010 to March 2011, Ryde Pier was closed to all vehicles as structural work underneath the promenade pier failed to pass a regular inspection by Trant. The pier remained open to pedestrians, who from October 2010 used temporary decking on the tramway pier whilst much of the promenade pier was being renewed. Some Wightlink foot passengers were given permission to use Island Line train services free of charge between Ryde Interchange and the Pier Head. Work to extend the structure of the Pier Head to allow for additional car parking continued during this period. The renewal work being complete, the promenade pier has now re-opened.
Read more about this topic: Ryde Pier
Famous quotes containing the words pier and/or today:
“Duccio came not by usura
nor Pier della Francesca; Zuan Bellin’ not by usura
nor was ‘La Calunnia’ painted.
Came not by usura Angelico; came not Ambrogio Praedis,
Came no church of cut stone signed: Adamo me fecit.”
—Ezra Pound (1885–1972)
“All great art, and today all great artlessness, must appear extreme to the mass of men, as we know them today. It springs from the anguish of great souls. From the souls of men not formed, but deformed in factories whose inspiration is pelf.”
—Alexander Trocchi (1925–1983)