Floating bridge stakeholders met this morning (Friday) in Portsmouth with the funder of the floating bridge, the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), a locally-owned partnership between businesses and local authorities that plays a central role in determining local economic priorities and undertakes activities to drive economic growth.
Invited by the Solent LEP to give a deputation, East Cowes Mayor, Peter Lloyd and Cowes Deputy Mayor, Cllr Lora Peacey-Wilcox, along with local engineers and with the support of the Waitrose’s manager and former floating bridge manager, Nick Symes, explained to the Solent LEP Directors the many recognised and non-admitted problems that the floating bridge continues to suffer.
Peacey-Wilcox: “A very constructive meeting”
Cowes Deputy Mayor, Cllr Peacey-Wilcox, said,
“It was a very constructive meeting.
“The LEP Directors were attentive and asked many relevant questions, and the presentation and detailed Causal and Impact Analysis report were well received.”
LEP encouraged active involvement
East Cowes Mayor, Cllr Lloyd, commented,
“We were successfully able to highlight the severe problems – many of which are seemingly unaddressed by the IW Council – and to emphasise the Council’s apparent inability to provide engineering solutions that help local businesses and achieve proper positive economic growth.
“The LEP encouraged us to be actively involved in their forthcoming public consultation on the Isle of Wight Council’s awaited revised business case.
“The Solent LEP Chief Executive, Anne-Marie Mountifield, also affirmed that the stakeholders should continue to be involved with the Isle of Wight Council regarding the floating bridge’s future.”
Report written on behalf of the Floating Bridge stakeholders group. Ed
Image: © With kind permission of Allan Marsh
