Hopes of improving transport links, including a greenway to the West Wight, have been dashed as it has been revealed the Isle of Wight has failed in its latest levelling up bid.
The government allocated £2.1billion for transformational projects aimed at boosting local economies, but the Island, as well as Portsmouth and Southampton, saw their bids rejected earlier this week.
It was hoped – were the funding allocated to the Island – that £14million would be spent upgrading and improving cycle paths, as well as creating a more sustainable transport network.
The bid, which received the Isle of Wight Council’s cabinet seal of approval back in June 2022, was made up of 3 parts: the Ryde to Yarmouth public transport corridor, the West Wight Greenway and the Newport hub and spokes scheme.
For over 10 years the council has been trying to achieve the West Wight Green Link.
The Island was successful in receiving £5.8million in the 1st round of funding last year for the East Cowes Marina Hub project. As the authority was successful the 1st time round, it was only able to bid for transport-related schemes with up to £14million available in this latest round.
Not surprised it got rejected. Government isn’t going to fund projects primarily for tourism, not really the point of levelling up is it.
Good: we have far more urgent priorities than yet more cycle tracks.
Because we have so many, lol. Truly world beating infra we have, Dutch are so jealous.
But still didn’t get any money
It’s a safe Tory seat, why waste the money here.
It going to be two safe seats soon
The Island didn’t fail – the Isle of Wight council failed!.
No brown envelopes I guess!
That is THIS government for you. We are an insignificant blob of land off the UK mainland, we have had our share of the spoils. The Island is just not important enough in the UK economy to warrant further investment, now for all those fixed link campaigners, where do you think the money will come from? It will never happen in a million years.
The UK economy is utterly stretched to breaking point, what advantage to the UK economy would a fixed link be? Even in a prosperous economy a fixed link would not benefit the country as a whole, the best option is for our MP to fight for a reliable sensible trustworthy ferry service we can have faith in. Not the current Pirates of fortune and let down.
It may well transpire the form didn’t get stamped, or was left to moulder in someone’s in tray at the well heated ivory tower by coppins bridge.
Steve Cowley’s Farm – Lee Farm – received planning approval for 16 houses (none “affordable”) on the basis he would give the old railway track through the farm for the Greenway. So does this recind the planning permission for the houses? Of course also one has to wonder whether he purchased the railway track or just acquired it.
Such a shame.
I would have loved to have travelled on two wheels in the cold, heavy rain and wind to work each day, whilst the better people swan past me in huge heated cars as I naively ‘thought’ I was ‘saving the planet’ like some fictional childhood superhero for the rich to be able to use the ‘saved’ CO2 to heat their pool, hot tub or tenth unused bedroom.
Oh well.
Well Alan, if you think that the lycra brigade who huff and puff around on their bikes, deliberately causing traffic delays actually helps to save the planet, you are right, you are definitely naive.
Not everyone can drive cars though and as someone with poor eyesight who cannot drive a car but can ride a bicycle, I would love it.
But hey, we can hope one day “Great” Britain will manage Dutch-levels of infrastructure!
IDK, it’s super good for your health, you can skip the gym, exercise produces endorphins and here in south it’s quite warm to be honest. The old Dutch saying “skin is waterproof” rings a bell 🙂
And I’m often called “rich” on my £150k salary, hah, yet bike > car everyday, specially if you build good cycle tracks!
Any more folks with Dutch roots here? 🙂
Well done Bob, not even popular in Parliament!
Great if you want a Barbeque,
Bob’s your man.
Can’t think of anything else he’s good for!
Probably just as well as this bunch of buffoons would have probably ordered another floating farce.
Obviously had to earn/ justify this handout not just given it to waste,
probably why they never got it
Still no island deal then from Bob. Shocker.
£5.8 million on on a Marina Hub in Cowes! That figures. Tories giving money to the toffs in Cowes. I’m sure that money could have been put to better use elsewhere on the island.
Helping to create places for the youngsters across the island to meet up and get involved in activities. This might stop them from being bored and causing ASB!
this council needs to look at its rundown towns and high streets and not the rich mans boat yard in Cowes or bloody cycle tracks
The island did not fail .. your MP and Council .. failed again …and at our expense .. anybody else see a trend here !!
Just proves that “levelling up” is all about getting votes from Labour areas and nothing about helping deprived areas like the Isle of Wight
I would hardly refer to the Isle of Wight as deprived. While a few areas of the island may be run down, there are probably more empty second homes here than anywhere else in the country.
Good the government has given alot of money to the roads on the island and that hasn’t been done properly plus the interchange we are in a recession need to get inflation down first
Nice to see half a sausage earning his money on our behalf.
I would bet that if the council told the government that they wanted to bu7ild a tunnel, as a better connection/transport to the mainland. Which would ease the burden commuters have, bring more jobs, and tourists.. BUT NO.. !!What happened to the 120 mil the government gave, to sort out Coppin’s Bridge ( never done) but instead the council used some of that to remove St Mary’s roundabout… what happened to the rest of that money ?? I think the council are telling the government porkies… also why have we not heard about the money, if any, from the floating bridge dilemma.. ?? More money in councillors pockets???
Sorry for spell mistakes/additions tried to edit and repair, but would not let me, clicked edit and got a blank screen…
So what about the housing estate in Wellow that was approved on condition that the West Wight Greenway WOULD be delivered? How does ‘hopes are dashed’ sit with the planning permission now? Or will it be conveniently air brushed out of the planning conditions and the profiteering development allowed to happen?
For what it was worth I took the time to read the council’s submission and to be honest, it came across a Christmas wish list from a spoilt child.
None of it was costed and all of it was totally aspirational with no substance to back it up.
The submission is probably somewhere in the public domain to look up, if you really want a laugh.
Potholes & breaking Road surface to continue.