More than £1million is being spent on a boat pushing the Floating Bridge 6 across the Medina between 2019 and 2027, however, the Isle of Wight Council is looking at other solutions to keep the vessel going during the faster tides.
The push boat service was introduced by the authority after an issue arose with the chain depth of Floating Bridge 6. It acts as a ‘lifeboat’ to allow the service to keep operating during fast-flowing ebb tides, maintaining clearance over the chains, instead of stopping the crossings.
Since 2019, there have been 2 contracts — both awarded to Cowes Harbour Commission – to use the barge MV Seaclear. MV Seaclear also operated, without a contract but through negotiations between the parties, in 2018, said at the time by the council to be a short-term measure.
The first contract was between 30th June 2019 and 30th April 2020 costing the authority £138,365. The second is between 16th August 2020 and 30th September 2022 at a cost of £252,000. Now, a third contract has been put out to tender by the council for the same service — with the closing date for applications of 17th August.
For a price tag of £658,160, the 3-year contract will keep the push boat in service between 1st October 2022 and 30th September 2025, to be used whenever it is needed. There is also the possibility of extending the contract, should the council wish, for a further 2 years until 2027 — but increased in increments of 6 months.
The contract is asking that those who apply have an adequate vessel without the need for any modifications to any part of FB6.
Overall, the 3 contracts will cost the council £1,049,525. To make that money back, according to the prices on the council’s Floating Bridge website, it would take 699,683 foot passenger return journeys or 437,302 cars to use the Cowes to East Cowes crossing.
The Isle of Wight Council said it was not possible to comment further on the matter while discussions were ongoing with all the stakeholders involved in the operational delivery of the Floating Bridge service.
What an utter waste of money, surely a road bridge has to implemented across the Medina and put a stop to this fiasco.The people on the Island deserve a better answer to getting across, and for 365 days, not the fits and starts they are having to put up with.
A bridge would take a lot less traffic away from Newport, however, more brain-dead councilors will be along soon…
Our council has no need to worry. Any shortfall, will as usual simply be charged to council tax payers. Our electric and gas bills are causing misery. Another record council tax increase, to cover this 6 year debacle, will add to the struggle.
Just a quick note to point out your typo…I don’t think you mean 2027 in your second line of the first para.
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Let’s hope this money (yet another million) is added to the damages claim currently under negotiation.
There is a much cheaper, simpler solution; but IW Council does not seem to be well-supplied with engineers.
I’m sick of these idiots running our council, sink that bloody thing along with the council….more idiots dessisions will be along soon…
That’s over 219,000 Pounds a year for the next 3 years to have a back-up boat available? How on earth does anyone justify a cost of nearly a quarter of a million Pounds a year simply to have a boat on stand-by and used occasionally to push another boat? And who in their right mind agrees a contract like that?
Quote the 3 contracts will cost the council £1,049,525
No its costing the taxpayers not the council
Do they think they are doing us a favour?
I don’t use the sometimes float ish bridge but I still get screwed over on the council tax
Should have built a bridge and make the weekend sailors wait for it to open. At the time the old one was going to be replaced, many said build a bridge. Only the council wanted to build a new one.
Just build a small bridge for pedestrians/cyclists, please! 1mill will be 50-100% of costs.
Absolutely disgraceful. The council should be ashamed of themselves, however we all know they will carry on regardless as to them it is just water off a duck’s back. Time to abolish our council and integrate with Hampshire. They won’t prioritise the island but they would hopefully not squander all our money like the useless island council does. I really cannot say that there is anything good about our council at all.
This is like a cross between a Kafka-esque nightmare/Monty Python alternate reality/Whoops! there go my trousers! type farce. Its pathetic, disgusting, embarrassing and most of all a criminal waste of our money – STOP IT IWC. Ditch this POS NOW.
Could just do the mercy option of taking FB6 out into the Channel somewhere and scuttling it, saving the tax payer any more expense.
Could bought and staffed a bloody push boat for that price. Then sold it to get a bit back ffs.
Everyone is laughing except those of u.poor cash cow’s who are paying for this heap of non floating push me pull me junk ,,!!!! Let’s hope when / if someone actually comes to the conclusion that this piece of C— is / has not been fit for purpose we get a massive rebate on our council tax !!!!
Don’t hold your breath though council ate great at making excuses …….
The Person who was responsible for this whole Contract should be hung drawn and quartered waisting our good earned money on this piece of
Garbage
First rule of being a local government officer. Never any sanctions for wasting public money.
Just take it out into the Channel and sink it, save us tax payers a lot of money.
What an absolute waste of money ,that is much needed elsewhere.
So you need a boat to push a bridge ,fantastic design .
This debacle is being paid for by us in Council Tax. It’s disgusting a new floating boat has to be pushed by another boat. You really couldn’t make it up could you!
It has been said that the sometimes floating bridge was too big why not cut it down to a size which will operate without another boat pushing it about?
Build a bridge it will work out cheaper in the long run
So to put it simply the council are going to saddle us with unjustifiable costs until at least 2025 and probably 2027 they have no intention of getting rid of the waste of space
We should demand a referendum of islanders as to whether the ferrys stays or goes.