Just days after Cllr Ian Ward had said “Residents will be able to use the floating bridge during the Christmas period so they can enjoy shopping, celebrating and travelling to family and friends,” the service is suspended.
According to the ward councillor for East Cowes, Karl Love, there is a fault with the west prow. This is the one that recently had a corner chopped from it.
Love: Predicatable
Cllr Love told OnTheWight,
“We should have known this would happen, as Cllr Ward was only bragging the other day that the service would be running over Christmas this week and it seems that whenever he opens his mouth about the bridge, it then fails.
“What did he say last week? ‘In operation for 99.5 per cent of its scheduled hours’, but it’s costing the people of our Island a small fortune with no end in sight to the chain issues.
“It’s not just about statistical data, it’s about customer service.”
FB Website: “Running to timetable”
Strangely, despite the service having been suspended for some time, the Isle of Wight council’s official floating bridge Website still says it’s in service.
The more reliable FloatyFinder Website gives the true status of the bridge.
Love: “What a joke Cllr Ward has become”
Cllr Love went on to say,
“What a joke Cllr Ward has become over this issue, in my view making fools of the Administration and causing significant damage to our town businesses and industries.
“Shopping retail is affected and interrupted on they most important weekend of Christmas and no sign of an end to the chain issues which are deafening on board the vessel.”
Ward: Extended hours into New Year’s Day
Last week, Cllr Ian Ward, Cabinet member responsible for the vessel had said,
“Residents will be able to use the floating bridge during the Christmas period so they can enjoy shopping, celebrating and travelling to family and friends.
“There are still issues and Wight Shipyard continues to work on solutions to allow the vessel to operate in all tides, but the service continues to improve.”
