The Chairman of the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has this week said that the organisation will continue to work with the Isle of Wight Council to secure the improvements needed to the Cowes Floating Bridge.
In 2016, the Isle of Wight Council submitted a proposal to the LEP for the replacement of the Floating Bridge chain ferry that connects West Cowes and East Cowes. The previous Floating Bridge was due to reach the end of its life by 2017 and the closure of this link would present a significant barrier to economic growth. In recognition of the importance of the link, the Solent LEP provided £3.7million to the Council to support them to secure and operate a new Floating Bridge in order to maintain and improve the connection for the next 30 years.
The Isle of Wight Council launched the new Floating Bridge service in May 2017 but ever since the vessel has faced a number of challenges during the first 2 years of operation.
In response to this, and in recognition of the importance of maintaining a link between Cowes and East Cowes to the Isle of Wight economy, the Solent LEP have continued to positively engage with the Isle of Wight Council as the operator of the service and associated stakeholders in order to help monitor and review the status of the LEP investment.
Most recently, at a meeting on 26th June 2019, the LEP exercised its unique convening powers to draw together senior officers from the Isle of Wight Council, concerned stakeholders and members of the wider island community, along with LEP Board Directors, to explore how all parties can support the collective ambition to secure improvements to the Floating Bridge service.
Gary Jeffries, Solent LEP Chair and Board Director explained:
“The LEP very much welcomed the opportunity to meet with all of the interested parties in relation to the Floating Bridge, and I would like to thank them all sincerely for their time.
“We recognise that there is a shared ambition between the LEP, the Isle of Wight Council and broader island community to secure a high-quality service. With this in mind, the LEP will continue to work with the Council as the project lead and service operator, with a view to securing the improvements needed to the service and to realise the significant economic benefits of this critical piece of island infrastructure.”
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Unknown why some bright spark thought bigger was better.. sure a new ferry may have been required, but the same length would have worked a treat, as they never thought about the chain drop and lift with a longer ferry.. let alone the extra weight on the slipways..
I wish this council would think ahead instead of about their pockets !
A new bridge over the Medina, coming out either by the Stag Inn or up to Northwood, would ease most of the traffic at Coppin’s Bridge.. Again that is another Council bodge, similar to that by pass where the lights malfunctioned for a few days.. why did they not put some temporary lights up? Instead of closing the slip road ? Seem’s no one thinks anymore…
Nobody takes responsibility at County Hall for anything. Always anonymous spokesperson.
The slip road lights unspeakable debacle is being swept under the carpet already.