A Ryde to Southampton summer ferry, trains to Newport and Ventnor, and improved mainland connections are among the schemes which could be introduced to the Isle of Wight by 2050.
Transport for the South East (TfSE) has unveiled plans as part of a £45billion ‘blueprint for investment’. It is designed to improve connectivity on the Island, and between the mainland and the Island to support sustainable onward connectivity and increased tourism.
The schemes are subject to finding funding sources, and feasibility studies being carried out.
The Isle of Wight Council’s cabinet member for highways and infrastructure, Councillor Phil Jordan, has said the plan would be interesting for the Island, as it could subsidise ferry fares, among other things. He said the Island was a small part of a huge powerhouse but he felt the schemes were more likely to come to fruition being a part of TfSE, than they would if they were pitched to the Government separately.
The final draft of the strategic investment plan includes 24 transport interventions across the region, but 1 specifically for the Island.
It is thought the benefits of the ‘intervention’ could see 70,000 fewer car trips on the Island a day, and an additional £165million gross value added a year.
The schemes include:
- Improving bus services from Newport to Yarmouth, Ryde and Cowes
- Railway service enhancements
- Railway extension to Ventnor and Newport
- Extending ferry service operating hours and improving the quality and frequency of sailings
- A new summer ferry route — Ryde to Southampton — with 3 or 4 vessels
It has been suggested the Island investment will partially come from private providers and no public funding would be provided to support the new ferry services.
Cllr Jordan said the plan, which has been in the making since 2017, will give the council a foundation to get funding from the Government to aid the key transport projects, otherwise it would be left to the current operators.
The Isle of Wight Council is among 1 of 16 authorities asked to approve the final draft of the investment plan before it is sent to Government.
The delegated decision will be made on 9th March.
Hopefully this means recommissioning the old railway line through ParkDean lower hyde from shanklin railway station
Unfortunately Parkdean entrance roadway is non-negotiable
I smell bacon, pigs might fly
Simple fix. Connect the trains with Portsmouth with a tunnel. So many countries around the world can do it, it’s a solved problem. Have it pop up at Fratton. Job done. Ferries will have no monopoly on foot passengers. And the people who think a fixed link will cause an influx of gypo’s to the island can rest easy as a ford transit does not fit on a train.
But will never happen. None of it. The Ferries will find a way to steal the money and their service will get worse.
100% agree with you makes so much sense. for the transit thing lol take a bowl sir
No, they will clog up local carparks
with their Ford transits and use the train as a foot passenger and there will be no parking spaces left for Islanders.
What is that? Oh, a flock of flying pigs.
Tar mac the entire track and run battery shuttle buses on it. So much cheaper, than miles of track and sleepers needing constant maintenance and miles of secure fence to keep animals and idiots off the dangerous live track.
So less staff, far less training to drive an electic bus, cheaper fares, more versatile.
Trains belong in Havenstreet for dreamers to have a fun ride on, ONCE.
What century do you live in? Mr keyboard warrior!
The tarmac would have to be replaced every so often and there would still be miles of fence to keep animals and idiots off the dangerous track.
What an absolute load of pony
This is about to happen as much as the fixed link
Hallelujah!
Why wait until 2050..get on with it.
Why nearly 30 years away? Utter rubbish and nothing more than political posturing; meaning it will never happen not while those responsible will be around to carry the can.
It’s just hot air. In 30 years it will have been forgotten about . They the councillors are dreaming or just out right lying as usual.
April 1st already ???
Yep none of that will happen might get a bath tub to paddle across though.
Its not even april 1st, put it on the list with the imaginary fixed link. never, ever, going to happen.
April fools day is a month away
2050!!! Someone is having a bloody laugh, 70,000 fewer vehicle trips a day, a huge powerhouse, a new ferry?
I hope by then the tunnel will be up and running so we could get an extra 80,000 cars a day.
Pie in the sky. It has taken 5 to 6 years to come up with the plan at this rate should 2050 read 2150.
this is about as likely to happen as the fixed link
None of this would ever happen as there be a member of vital staff off sick and no one to drive the trains Or be able to run the ferries ha ha £45 billion no government would ever invest that in this island
All pie in the sky and big ideas ,well the council got to justify their wages by doing something I suppose and they come up with this , bloody laughable
Ryde to Southampton??? That’s like Ryde to Sandown via Newport. What’s wrong with E Cowes to Southampton ?? Might as well go the whole hog and have Portsmouth to E Cowes ferry.
Here’s a viable suggestion… Red Jet alternating between Cowes and E Cowes for docking.
I won’t hold my breath!
Shame, I’ll be dead by then!
I thought the train extension to Newport and Ventnor was discredited couple of months ago, I’m sure I read that on here, so what’s changed now to have it back on the table?
Folks don’t be fooled, remember there is an election coming up, these distraction click bait items will soon go into overdrive ..so forget the past ..it was the others .. but look what we can do in the future ! Councillors MP’s and PCC are masters of the game . Yes the countries government has to change.. but who ?
The only possibility is returning the trains to Ventnor. Trains from Ryde or Sandown to Newport aren’t going to happen.
Whenever I see the name Councillor Phil Jordan, I read farcical.