Councillors in Cowes and East Cowes debated plans for a tunnel beneath the River Medina as an alternative to the floating bridge on 10th April 1906 – 120 years ago today.
Meeting at East Cowes Town Hall, members reviewed the growing demand on the ferry – the main link between the two towns.
In the previous 6 months alone, more than 65,000 passengers had crossed the Medina, along with over 5,000 vehicles. Income had also risen sharply, with annual takings now estimated at around £5,000.
Those figures prompted councillors to revisit the idea of a fixed crossing. A tunnel beneath the river – long discussed but never built – was again put forward as a possible solution.
Earlier promoters of the scheme had estimated annual takings of £2,000, but with ferry income now far higher, some members argued the case for a tunnel had strengthened considerably.
Supporters claimed a tunnel – or even a permanent bridge – would provide a faster and more reliable link than the floating bridge. It was also suggested that material excavated during construction could be used to create new quays along the river.
However, there were clear obstacles. Any scheme would require an Act of Parliament, with the cost of securing approval alone put at between £700 and £800 – roughly £120,000 to £140,000 in today’s values.
Despite this, the idea gained support. A proposal for the Ferry Committee to consider improved means of crossing the river was put forward, seconded and carried unanimously.
The tunnel plan itself was not new. A Medina Tunnel Bill had already been brought before Parliament in 1892, setting out plans for a crossing between East and West Cowes, although the scheme was never carried through.
The debate continued in later years. In 1932, a proposal for a bridge across the Medina was put forward but rejected due to concerns over river navigation. More than a century on, both bridge and tunnel ideas have been revisited, but have yet to be realised.
Today, around 1 million passengers cross the Medina each year using the floating bridge, far higher than the figures being discussed by councillors in 1906.
Over a century later, was this a missed opportunity for Cowes – or a tunnel too far?
Will NEVER happen, the numpties cannot repair traffic lights
what chance of them building a Tunnel
Lol
You say this will never happen … did you not read the article? this was 1926 nowhere does it say its a current proposal … Doh
Numpties on the island cannot repair traffic lights
what chance would there ever be to build a tunnel.
I DID READ THE ARTICLE STATING IT WAS 1926
100 YEARS LATER IT’S TAKEN NEARLY 3 MONTHS TO
REPAIR A SET OF TRAFFIC LIGHTS!
There is more action in a local cemetery.
Great article
Just shows it’s all about money still
And reading the article on how 6 councillors leached half a million in three years you can understand why it’s all about money to feed there very deep pockets.
Only 120 years ago, my, the council will not look at anything in a new light for at least 200 years, if the ability to make a tunnel existed that long ago then there must be some vested intterests preventing it happening.
Unknown why to this day they have not put in a tunnel… how many millions have been spent on all the floating bridges and how many more millions will be wasted.. ?
Get a mainland Company over or better still a
Company from China
Job done.
Millions..
£2.50 each way now !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That’s when it works,glad i don’t use it..
Neither do I.
That’s a lovely picture love the little castle turret…
And just look. The ferry’s working!
That’s the way to design a “floating bridge”, a flat barge with two sheds on top.
I wonder if the floating bridge shown in the picture was any more reliable than the one today
I bet it was, better workmanship years ago.
Nowdays there are too many cowboys in the world.
Yee-haw