The troubled Cowes floating bridge made a “half a million-pound loss” last year, an Isle of Wight deputy mayor said yesterday.
Speaking at an East Cowes Town Council meeting, Councillor Cameron Palin told attendees Floating Bridge Six had incurred costs of £1.12 million, compared to £618,000 in income, between April 2024 and the end of last year.
In November last year, County Hall announced a Spring 2025 “engagement process” with the “public and key stakeholders” on a new replacement bridge.
The council is in the process of appointing “specialist advisors” for the replacement project following a “standard procurement process”.
Palin: At least one local company interested in building new vessel
Councillor Palin said,
“In our document of questions that we (East Cowes Town Council) asked, we were asking about the tendering process which is now closed. They’ll (County Hall) be appointing by the end of February.
“When they get to that point…we need to be following up with them. Has the tender been selected? Given the significant loss it is causing the council…we need to be pushing it forwards as quickly as possible to stop wasting taxpayers’ money.
“I know from conversations I’ve had that at least one local company was interested in the actual building of the vessel.”
Replacement vessel
In March last year, County Hall’s cabinet unanimously agreed to replace Floating Bridge Six which was first introduced to the River Medina in May 2017.
County Hall leader Phil Jordan said at the time the decision “has been a long time coming”.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
