Island Echo always welcomes letters to the editor, which may of course not reflect the views of the publication and its staff.
This letter is in response to Wightlink disruption last weekend.
Letter to the editor – 3rd May 2026
“Wightlink managed another Bank Holiday masterclass this week, cancelling eight Yarmouth–Lymington sailings because of a fault with a fire‑alarm system on Wight Light. No storm, no breakdown just a single alarm glitch capable of shutting down a key transport artery on one of the busiest days of the year.
Article continues below this advertisement “It’s a reminder of how little resilience the Island’s lifeline services actually have. One minor fault in one vessel, and hundreds of people are stranded, businesses lose trade, and the Island absorbs yet another avoidable disruption. The operators apologise, Islanders sigh, and everyone waits for the next “unforeseen” failure.
“This is not a transport system; it’s a bottleneck with a timetable.
“A fixed link wouldn’t solve everything, but it would end the absurdity of an entire community being cut off because a ferry’s alarm panel misbehaved. Each incident reinforces the same point: the Island needs reliability, not ritualised chaos.”
Richard
East Cowes
These ferry firms will close this island off in due time. Killing the goose that lays the golden egg.
They won’t care when it’s too expensive ,which it already is, to come and holiday here force the festival down due to extortionate pricing.
We the islanders will be the ones to suffer the most.
I myself don’t really want a fixed link, but i truly think it should be looked into.
I was never one for a fixed link either, but the moment
fares kept increasing and the service is unreliable
Enough is Enough, time for a fixed link.
WE DON’T NEED GREEDY FERRY COMPANIES
Of course a fixed link would solve the ferry problems.
It would stop extortionate ferry fares.
Travellers could plan their trips better, no waiting to board
ferries etc etc
That’s if they are running on time.
A BRIDGE FROM COLWELL TO THE MAINLAND COULD EASILY
BE BUILT AND IT WOULD BE WORTH EVERY PENNY!
No doubt people who live in Bembridge or Seaview would like a bridge in Colwell. As a Totland Bay resident I would suggest that since most tourism is in th east it would be better to have a bridge that end
Shorter distance to the mainland.
Usually they just cancel services because the toilet cleaner has a cough and can’t possibly go to work (Totally not that they didn’t sell enough rip off tickets to make the trip worthwhile)
At least this was a legitimate issue that was to do with actual safety equipment.
At least this was a legitimate issue that was to do with actual safety equipment.
OR, have shitelink learned to err expand their excuses to shut down objections.. Taking a page from the Starmer, “Whatever the cause, blame the right wing racists” book of excuses to keep supporters on side. I might be wrong of course.
The fire alarm issue could have been worked around with fire marshals. There should always be a contingency plan…
If the greedy B’stards lowered the fares more people would use
the service.
Restaurants and cafes are the same, many charge £4 for a coffee
so where people might have had 2 drinks many don’t anymore.
Greed never pays off!
A fixed link would mean (in effect) taking the Isle out of I.O.W.
We live in a relatively crime free environment.
A fixed link would result in the Island becoming a criminals paradise.
Not if we had decent law on the island
Some occasional inconvenience and cost is the price you pay for living on an island and avoiding many of the ills that mainlanders bear.
You want to build a fixed link? I don’t want my phone snatched by an organised mainland gang, I don’t want my female children groomed by mainland gangs, I don’t want to see shops put out of business by organised mainland shoplifting gangs and I don’t want to find I can’t park anywhere when I need to because we’re inundated with daytrippers.
If you don’t find the ferry convenient then the solution isn’t to ruin the island for everyone just so your travel is more convenient, it’s to go and live on the mainland.
Yes, that’s right – GO AND LIVE ON THE MAINLAND.
Spot on John. To those so certain that a fixed link would solve all our problems I would remind of the old saying: Be careful what you wish for. What it means is that knee-jerk and apparently obvious solutions very rarely are. Sit down and think about the unintended consequences of making the Island easily accessible to all and you might begin to get it.
I wonder if they tried turning it off and on again.
Of course a fixed link would solve everything the ferry companies have a monopoly on Lives why in 2026 should we be stranded on the island
Well said.
A fixed link at a premium would solve a lot of the problems. If there was a toll bridge of let’s say approx £20 each way, that would be enough to put off excessive visitors, but enough to attract more tourism. At 2m (current levels) visitors a year that would generate approx £60m turnover. Without any increase in footfall.
A bridge would be the preferred solution and if that cost £250m it’s quite clear to see that it would pay itself off in a few years (even with annual maintenance costs).
Operate a booking system (similar to the ferry companies) then it’s tolled and managed centrally to avoid ‘over subscription’. This would also solve the main bone of contention for islanders which is the inconsistency of the service.
The island would not lose any of it’s charm if the cost of the crossing was a premium.
AMENDMENT
to £40m turnover
Before the keyboard warriors turnout
I did have it at £30 each way originally. But changed it.
Either way, it’s a Simple Solution.