Troubled chain ferry should be replaced, committee recommends

A troubled chain ferry on the Isle of Wight should be replaced, according to a council committee.

Floating Bridge 6 (FB6) has been plagued with technical problems since it entered service in 2017.

The Cowes Floating Bridge connects Cowes with East Cowes and means drivers can avoid a 10-mile round trip via Newport.

Computer modelling has been used to predict the outcome of design modifications, without the time and expenses of putting the fixes into place.

The review found the vessel cannot operate without the use of a push boat in strong tides — but neither could the previous ferry Floating Bridge 5.

Speaking at a meeting of Isle of Wight Council’s corporate scrutiny committee, consultants said FB6 was working but it was failing to meet the average number of crossings required.

The average time it took FB6 to cross the River Medina was 3 minutes and 30 seconds, a "snail’s pace" compared to FB5’s two-minute journeys.

Consultants 3S said any replacement vessel would have to be radically redesigned, with a new hull and superstructure, or a push boat may be necessary in the future.

The scrutiny committee agreed the only feasible option was to now get a new floating bridge and to "get on with" the process of procuring one.

Alternatives and next steps are being considered next month by the scrutiny committee and cabinet.

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