The Cowes Floating Bridge has once again been pulled from service, it has been confirmed this afternoon (Friday).
Vehicles were loaded onto the troublesome Floating Bridge No.6 at East Cowes shortly after 15:00 but were soon instructed to reverse off again.
The Isle of Wight Council’s official website has confirmed that the service is currently suspended, but that it is anticipated that the Floating Bridge will return to service ‘later this evening’.
The vessel is now pulled up on the East Cowes side of the River Medina with school children and other passengers waiting for a launch service to be put into action.
The news comes just weeks after the Floating Bridge had repair work done to the prow at each end of the vessel. Despite being out of service for 20 days between 10th – 30th September, it seems that the Council’s aim of ensuring a ‘good and reliable service’ is not being met.
Motorists will now have to travel 11 miles around the River Medina for their Friday commute home.
UPDATE @ 15:37 – The Council has confirmed that the floating bridge has run aground as a result of high winds.
A launch service is now in operation.
The Floating Bridge is expected to resume a normal service at 19:00 tonight.
UPDATE @ 19:45 – The floating bridge is now back in service.
You just could not write it, could you? Look forward to the news that, at last, some heads are st to roll, including very senior ones.
Of course heads will not roll. The only people who can do the rolling wouldn’t dare because then their useless gravy-train heads could be next. The system of inept idiots protects itself.
None of these people would survive three days in a proper job. I say three days because of course one day would be sick and the other TOIL.
I am going to be controversial here…
The current Administration said that they were not responsible for ordering FB6, the previous Administration have also developed a severe case of sloping-shoulders…
I accept that Councillors themselves may not be directly responsible for the design of FB6, BUT, Councillors gave accepted it from the builders.
Somewhere in County Hall there is AT LEAST one employee who had direct responsibility for agreeing the details of the order, so SOMEONE is directly culpable.
Why has nothing been done?
Probably because whoever it/they where have since left Council employment and cannot now be held to account, either that, or it it typical Local Government (and I do not exclusively hold the IoW Council solely to account here) ineptitude in disciplining someone for their actions. Or is it a case of that ‘someone’ being off sick with stress or, because of flexible working within the Council Organisation, said ‘someone’ is never in the office long enough to attend a meeting to investigate their ‘lack of ability’?
What a real laugh this chain bridge is giving everyone who is connected to its purchase. And so me REALLY RED FACES. Bet they don’t show their selves in the near future. My god how much more can EAST COWES AND COWES take of this b——y useless lump of metal
When the next local elections take place we will have to remember the names of those that
wasted millions of tax payers money.
Definitely
High winds the cause utter rubbish the reason is incompetence not concentrating on what they are doing. Can’t remember it happening during storms in the past
Instead of all the disruptive work at Newport why didn’t the Isle of Wight Council opt to replace the disastrous chain ferry with a bridge, it makes more sense.
what height would a bridge have to be, to prevent it from being opened and closed every five minutes for boats.
Why not try blaming the consultants that were contracted to oversea the design and building of FB6 no one in the council is qualified enough to design and build these things. But running aground is down to the operator
Could someone please explain how the floating bridge could possibly run aground. Surely it is guided by the chains. Are they the problem?
The whole scenario is dreadful. The thing is not fit for purpose – if anybody purchased something that didn’t work it would be sent back for a refund. In this case it doesn’t matter who ordered it – it’s rubbish send it back!!!!
Yarmouth bridge is undergoing major maintenance to keep it serving the public,pedestrians motorists and sailing craft on a daily basis.You wouldn’t know they were working on it. ((Under it).Just a thought but they obviously knew what they were building from the outset years ago could they advise on the debacle at Cowes?
Heads will not roll that would mean admitting what a croc of sh#*e it is,
I have always said the old floating bridge could have been refurbished at a fraction of the cost of this pile of junk, people dont listen to the council excuses that the old one was beyond repair, anything thats broke can be fixed or remade, would have saved us millions!!
So, if the increased traffic at St Marys Roundabout is caused by the Floating Bridge failing to provide a proper service over the last couple of years, what is the Council’s solution? Spend millions on roadworks to ease the flow of traffic through this junction. Where to? Oh yes, that other wonder creation of the Isle of Wight Council, Coppins Bridge roundabout! When, oh when, will this poor island be rid of these bunch of incompetent clowns who have squandered our money on grandious traffic schemes and paid millions to outside contractors such as Amey and Island Roads to provide services that we used to source ourselves? What a shower of bungling self serving idiots! When will we ever be rid of them?
To think, illegal imm’s travel in tiny inflatables across dangerous oceans, and the council cannot even get a hulk of metal to be pulled on chains across a narrow river. Disgusting.
Who are all the island people who voted these clowns in as our council? i am proud to say i was not one, bring on the next election get them out before we have no island left!!
Come on admit it who pulled the plug from the Medina river bed to drain the water away?
Listen enough is enough council scrap value is at a good price at moment do it everyone has had enough bring back old one
The floating bridge doesn’t exist
The floating bridge doesn’t exist
Everybody
The floating bridge doesn’t exist
The floating bridge doesn’t exist
The floating bridge doesn’t exist
The floating bridge doesn’t exist
All you lot moaning about a broken down floating bridge.Try living with a chode and can’t afford an enlargement!
Every time I sneeze I pop out a little fart