An update on the ‘wight elephant’ that is the Cowes Floating Bridge — including the ongoing legal case — is provided in a new Isle of Wight Council report published today (Wednesday).
The paper, to go before Cabinet members next Thursday (14th October), sets out the case for commissioning an independent review to determine whether the vessel is fit for purpose in relation to the original specification and operating requirements.
The study — known as a Cabinet Office ‘Gateway 5 Review — has been requested by the main funding partner for Floating Bridge 6, the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (SLEP), and will be completed by November 2021. The report will help inform future decisions including, if appropriate, a list of further actions required to be taken to the current vessel or the production of a suitable business case for any replacement.
Today’s Cabinet paper also confirms that the council continues to be involved in a legal action against both the naval architects and the boat builders to seek recompense for the poor performance of the vessel and other associated costs.
An agreement has been reached between the 3 parties to seek to settle the dispute through mediation in an effort to avoid lengthy and costly court proceedings. It is intended to complete the process by the end of the year.
Cabinet members are being asked to note the contents of the paper and approve the production of a further report to be presented to councillors early next year with further options.
Councillor Phil Jordan, Cabinet member for transport and infrastructure, said:
“The paper proposes a necessary yet considered way forward to assist the council in taking the best possible decisions to resolve the current challenges and achieve the required performance levels in the future.
Article continues below this advertisement “I would want the public to understand that we have no choice but to carry out the independent report and conclude the mediation process before we can take any final decision about the future of the floating bridge.”
To read the Cabinet paper in full, visit https://iow.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s4962/Report.pdf.
Happy to assist the Council in the way forward …..
Target practice for our Navy Air Force Army ????
You choose ….
Though thinking about it Bonfire Night is coming up 5th November in case you need more assistance ….. ?
Perhaps we could put a Guy on top ????
You choose!!!!!!
Looking forward to our Council Tax being Reduced once the elephant in the room has been disposed of …..
And I won’t charge for my consultation!
You won’t get a better offer …
There is no “ongoing Legal case” as the report continues to say “the 3 Parties ….. seek to settle the dispute through mediation to avoid lengthy and costly Court proceedings”.
We have been repeatedly told by the previous Council Administration that they could not comment due potentially prejudicing “ Legal Action”, which now has been confirmed by the present Council as completely false.
Mediation is not “Legal Action” and as stated it is an attempt to reach a mutually agreed position between any Party before any litigation through a Court of Law. Mediation is now stated as “intended” to complete by the end of December 2021. Some hopes !
The mediation is to avoid legal action, if legal action is not an option due to being prejudiced then that leaves no incentive for mediation.
Why not beach it on the Coppins Bridge roundabout so it can be in full view of the council offices? It will also serve as a lasting memory to the combined farces of the Dave Stewart St Mary’s debacle junction and the Dave Stewart St George’s Way ‘improvements’.
That way, when they consider closing off the lower High Street, they can all ponder on previous IOW Council farces!
It would break down on route.
After years of increases in our council tax, to pay for this white elephant. Looking forward to a reduction, once they get compensation.!!??
Again, developers of large scale building here are adding to the amount of cars on the roads, so the council should insist on a bye law making them pay a percentage of their profits to make a PERMANENT swing bridge there.
Two solid piers of stone built out so ships could still pass between and the open section in the middle straddled by a metal swing bridge, in this day and age SHOULD be cheaper and easy to do. IF heavily funded by new houses built here, it would go some ‘small’ way into mitigating the damage they are doing to this Isle and to OUR lives.
As it is developers don’t care as they live miles away from the misery
No need to commission a report.
IT WAS NEVER FIT FOR PURPOSE ……………….. otherwise it would have worked.
Lol we know that but they obviously need a report to waste more time and our more of our money…
That’s the only thing they are good at!!!!!!!
You can give someone a job title but you can’t teach common sense !!!!!!!
Once again comment taken down because they don’t like truth.
This pile of junk was badly designed, badly built using cheap materials unfit for use and has wasted the taxpayers hundreds of thousands of pounds of OUR WAGES, it might surprise our wonderful councillors to know the money they throw around does not come from a magic money tree.
The ferry should be removed and dragged up to the mud bank opposite Kingston and left to rot.
In my opinion the IDIOT that thought bigger would be better should be sacked. It has cost millions, and no doubt millions more. A short tunnel, with traffic lights, which the council seem to love, may cost a lot to build but will not cost millions every year and no matter what the tide or wind, will always be working.. Swing bridges are good, but the do break too.. plus many other types of bridges.. If council could be bothered, look up the design that was proposed back in early 1900 for a tunnel.
The gift that nobody even wanted or asked for that continues to suck our wages out of our pockets. Apparanty, according to the strap line, the future of this joke is “unclear”. If it was up to me it would be crystal clear. Scrap it build a bridge or tunnel and hold all parties to this farce up to the full spotlight of a public enquiry.
HOW CAN THIS HEAP OF SCRAP BE FIT FOR PURPOSE, IT HAS SPENT MORE TIME LAID UP THAN BEING AT WORK THE COURT SHOULD DECIDE THIS M AND !! THE I.W.C.C. SHOULD LOOK FOR COMPENSATION
Make the chain longer and send it to Dover to help with the refugee crisis.