Vehicles planning to use the floating bridge between Cowes and East Cowes will need to drive via Newport, as the service is suspended due to a technical issue today (Friday).
The Isle of Wight Council says that a foot passenger-only launch is in operation after Floating Bridge No. 6 suffered a ‘split weld’ on its North East ram.
It’s expected that the service will resume at some point today, and the Council says it apologises for the inconvenience.
It comes just weeks after the bridge was suspended due to ‘safety concerns’ after concerns were raised about the condition of a prow cable, as reported by Island Echo.
UPDATE @ 16:00 – The floating bridge has now resumed its service between Cowes and East Cowes following the earlier technical issue.
Just in time to remind us before the elections what a second rate council we have
and now is the time for change. Especially the top six council earners who cost us with pension
add on’s literally an eye watering million pounds a year
I wonder if the council will blame COVID for this mishap?.
I didn’t even know it was running. You just assume it isn’t.
How many times have the rams welds failed?
Another day, another problem with the infamous thing. A fixed bridge would have saved all these continuous issues.
Lift the ramp before activating the rams, far less strain on them.
Interesting. Presumably ALL other welds must be inspected as they are now suspect. So potentially, as well as being unfit for its purpose, its structural integrity may be suspect. Safety issues IWC? No lets just ignore all that and go on denying…….
Yet this council pay crazy amounts to consulting people to tell them things that a child could work out. but they can’t get a weld xrayed to check for bad welds it and they the council are unfit for porpoise
On your way Metcalf and take your cronies with you, right now. The CT payer is having their money wasted daily by the incompetence of County Hall. Enough is enough. Be gone. NOW.
Hope it stays out of service over the holiday weekend and then those from the north Island can see, first hand, what we have to put up with, for how long?
Call me stupid, but why can’t they just get a mechanic in to fix it, and what has northern island got to do with it,it wasn’t even built there! Why don’t you do your research before commenting on things you know nothing about!!! Innit
Aren’t welds a very basic part of a construction like this? Jeez, they haven’t even got that right! As somebody has already said – presume all other welding will now need to be checked. Perhaps Island Echo could just tell us when the floating bridge is actually working, would save the editorial team a lot of work
Scrap it then buy something serviceable with the cash.
This floating scrap must be the laughing stock of the engineering world… What a joke
We get an opportunity next week to get rid of the Conservatives in our Council who are responsible for this fiasco. Please people of the Wight (especially those of you in Sandown and Niton where Cllr Ian Ward and Cllr Dave Stewart are your representatives) STOP voting for Conservatives! Vote for ANYBODY else just not the Conservatives (although preferably independent candidates whose interest is the island and its people and not serving some political master)
You have a short memory the independents nearly bankrupted the island when they were in power
A weld split!!! What next? “Floating bridge sinks and blocks river”. what a waste of money.
Perhaps island echo should have its own floatie page
IT would be cheaper to build a bridge up river and that will probably not break down but my fall down if the council had anything with the building of it.Having sailed on ro-roffs and cargo vessels with hydraulic hatches and vessels with bow and stern doors I find the time out ot action of the chain link beyond belief. It the 5 years I was in the Solomon Islands our 2 landing craft may have been 1 day out of action, may be you can get some bush mechanics to run and maintain it as most of them have only been to school for several years.