We always welcome a Letter to the Editor to share with our readers – unsurprisingly they don’t always reflect the views of this publication. If you have something you’d like to share, get in touch and of course, your considered comments are welcome below. This by Cathy Foulkes from Ryde. Ed
I eagerly offer my time to participate in a feasibility study into a fixed link (as recommended by the Garnett report into the Isle of Wight infrastructure).
The scope of such a study will, I hope, look seriously at the massively reduced costs (in relative terms) of tunnelling since the last feasibility report in 1996.
Cross-Wight rail tunnel
A rail tunnel through the Solent and across the Island would give us a sustainable connection to the national infrastructure from which we have allowed ourselves to be forgotten.
The price of our neglect has been high – socially, educationally and economically and should be addressed with a demand as tax payers right, the right to 21st century access to national public infrastructure and services.
Calling any engineering geologists
I’d like to contribute to such a campaign, but have no time to lead one – anyone else agree and have time out there?
Is there an engineering geologist out there who would take up my idea (crudely represented above) and look at the Fratton junction area for tunnel submersion, and re-emersion at Lymington.
Stations would be small at surface and access the rail by escalators at Portsmouth and Southsea, Ryde Esplanade (where the neglected Ryde Arena site on the Esplanade offers opportunity for an interchange with existing rail, hovercraft, bus and taxi ranks).
Tourism boost
Above ground level at Ryde might make a 5* Hotel which the Island sorely lacks looking towards Ryde Pier.
Tourists once again just come with suitcases and bikes to help reinvigorate the serviced tourist economy of the Sandown Bay and beyond.
The congestion suffered on the roads of Newport would be significantly relieved, and the eco-aspirations of sustainable development rewarded by locating the many thousands of houses we must build nearer to infrastructure for commuting to and from the mainland.
Image: © Crossrail by Monica Wells
