Over 1,100 people have called for an independent investigation into the failings of the Floating Bridge No.6, which operates the short East Cowes to Cowes crossing on the River Medina.
The petition has been set up by Mark Cama, who says the chain ferry has become ‘a significant burden for both local businesses and Island council tax payers’.
It’s said that the decisions and purchase strategies of the floating bridge need to be disclosed to the general public, highlighting the ‘poor project leadership and strategic planning of a service that has failed to provide’.
Since arriving on the Isle of Wight, the Floating Bridge No.6 has been nothing but problematic, spending days and even weeks out of service for one issue or another. A worker was also seriously injured following an incident below deck, in which hydraulic oil was involved.
As previously reported by Island Echo, the floating bridge service is currently suspended until at least September due to a major fault with the vessel’s hydraulic system. It’s unknown when exactly the vital service will resume, however, a foot passenger launch is continuing in the meantime.
You can sign the petition for yourself at https://www.change.org/p/iow-council-ceo-independent-investigation-into-cowes-to-east-cowes-chain-ferry.
I have felt all along that there has been some dodgy dealing over this. With all this secrecy, it needs a court of law to demand that all the facts be brought into the public domain. And if it turns out that there have been favours, backhanders and downright criminal negligence, then someone needs to spend some time in jail. It’s high time that councillors were made to be both legally and financially responsible for any decisions taken that don’t have full public disclosure.
It’s not going to happen unfortunately – look at Sean Newton, one of the many names behind the floating bridge fiasco, caught drunk behind the wheel, nearly kills a pedestrian mounting a kerb. Consequences? Nope. Nigel Gent, civil servant, paedophile, loitering outside primary schools, consequences – you guessed it. Welcome to the Isle of Wight. Accept that heads will not roll over this very expensive disaster.
Who is Sean Newton? He’s not in charge of the chain ferry!
Mate you are a clown! You think the council want it to be out. They lose money when it’s out. Believe it or not the chain ferry takes serious money!
Get rid of the bloody thing and put a bridge over it and stop making us pay for the council f up
The stretch of water is so busy! If you took time out of your day to go there you would see that that river brings in serious trade to the island and you can’t just “put a bridge there”. Stop being a troll online and do some research!
How much would it have cost for a bridge like they have at Yarmouth?
Virtually any price would be worth paying to get rid of this stupid embarrassing ferry for once and for all
Councillors can not be trusted. Waste of time investigating such, as they will tell any investigator what they ‘want’ them to know, and just make out the public are the fools.
Same with Pennyfeather and Bullen, the developers are close friends with those that matter on planning, so a forgone despite all others objecting.
We used to think Russia etc was corrupt, but at least they are openly so.
Running private concerns and employing those they ought not, people know on this small Island, but they will always be protected for like a foreign corrupt police force, who would you believe a suited Cllr, or some working business owner, especially if you personally knew the Cllr and knew he could do ‘you’ favours too.
Forget it.
This isn’t an episode of How to get away With murder. This is the island. The management want to fix it. They don’t want it being out!
Mark Cama, who says the chain ferry has become ‘a significant burden for both local businesses and Island council tax payers’. Did you know there’s a fixed link from Cowes to East Cowes , how would the backward islanders cope with a fixed link to the mainland because they struggle with a stretch of water which I could p×$$ further
Fix link ha then island roads mess it up to fell trees and cause mayhem
Everyone who thinks that the chainferry is a corrupt business and has evil councillors behind it are quite simply… STUPID. Everyone wants this ferry to work! The council lose money when it is out of service. There is no corruption. Only people so bored of there own lives they like making false narratives in their head. Get over yourselves.
Paint the old one and bring it back .ĺets face it .it’s outlasted the new one
It has become are farce, even for those that aren’t on the island, but visit often for work. Never knowing if it performing or not, plus the damage it causes to some vehicles. SWB Ducato van, had 7pin lighting socket snapped off, and before the ‘JOHN’ intercepts, I was going slow.