The offer of a fully equipped and wheelchair-accessible vessel to provide a floating bridge replacement service across the River Medina for people with disabilities was refused by the Isle of Wight Council last year, according to a local community interest company.
Wetwheels Solent made the offer to the Isle of Wight Council approximately a year ago when issues were being experienced with the reliability of the Cowes Floating Bridge – which, as previously reported by Island Echo, is once again out of service.
During the history of the Floating Bridge’s absences, a foot passenger launch has been operated for those needing to cross the River Medina, but Wetwheels says that this service is not enough and not necessarily appropriate for those with disabilities and mobility issues.
In a letter to the Isle of Wight Council’s Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Transport, Councillor Phil Jordan, Geoff Holt MBE, Director of Wetwheels, mentions the Council’s reluctance to take up the offer of the fully insured and coded vessel made to it last year.
Mr Holt mentions that Wetwheels considers the current arrangements – which could be in place until the end of the year – untenable for those with disabilities. He claims that disabled people are being disproportionally affected by the lack of regular and reliable ferry transport between East Cowes and Cowes due to the difficulty faced in finding alternative transport.
The letter, with an updated offer of service, reads:
“When this issue arose a year ago, I offered the service of our fully wheelchair accessible power catamaran Wetwheels to offer this service for disabled people whilst the ferry was being repaired. That offer was rejected by IOW Council.
Article continues below this advertisement “I am once again making the offer to supply a boat with a qualified skipper for the use of disabled people between East and West Cowes whilst the chain ferry remains out of action. We are a fully coded, insured and a commercially operating social enterprise so there will be a not-for-profit charge to supply the vessel, fuel, berthing and crew.
“Wetwheels is used regularly by Cowes Sailability throughout the year so we have plenty of experience of navigating the river Medina and boarding and disembarking disabled passengers safely.”
Wetwheels, a community interest and not-for-profit company, has further offered to commit to running a service between 08:00 and 17:00, 7 days a week until such a time as the Floating Bridge returns.
UPDATE @ 21:30 – An Isle of Wight Council spokesperson has said:
“We are committed to providing an alternative service that is accessible to all while the floating bridge remains out of service.
“To that end we have undertaken a full Equality Impact Assessment for the launch service and put in place inclusive measures to ensure the needs of all passengers can be met.
“In the event of a person with accessibility issues needing to the cross the river, but are unable to use the launch, arrangements are in place for an accessible taxi to be made available. Further details can be found at: https://www.iwfloatingbridge.co.uk/launch-service
“We would also be willing to speak to Mr Holt to explore any further opportunities Wetwheels might provide.”
unfortunately unless our greedy council can make off this great and helpful service being offered….it’s always a no.
disgraceful.waste our money on a thing that never runs but stop do folders trying too help.
well done council useless as usual
I think it is that they support a rip off merchant of a service provider and don’t want to hurt his monopoly
Bet if they had a disabled family member it would be different
Not enough done on this island full stop for disabled people if you ask me
Was a tender ever put out and when was the impact assessment done?
Of course they turned it down, it wasn’t their idea.
Isle of Wight council you should be ASHAMED of yourselves, you have good people who care about and understand the needs of the disabled and ones with mobility issues, and you have the nerve not to accept their offer of help, it shows that you don’t care at all about anyone but yourself.
they have provided an adequate taxi service – there is no need to be spending additional council tax payers money on another boat service, on top of the launch that already operates.
This is ok as long as the taxi costs the same as the boat if not who pays the difference the disable people or the council.
The taxi has to travel via Newport to get to the other side which depending on the traffic is going to take a while compared to a boat and it must be expensive with the current cost of fuel.
I do hope that your tongue is firy in your cheek and this is sarcasm of the lowest wit Isle of Wighter
Everyone, one day, will have a disability. As you get older your body fails you. The council are so short sighted they could be registered as disabled.
no guarantee of that fred – not everyone ends up with a disability
Building a road bridge across the Medina would solve this and, at the same time replace the waste of space and money that is FB6. The council are extremely short sighted, they seem to want to carry on pouring our money into this bottomless pit (FB6), instead of investing it in a permanent bridge which would be much more beneficial to the whole area around the Medina in the long term.
IWC you are disgusting. Vile. HANG YOUR HEADS IN SHAME AND APOLOGISE.