Floating white elephant

[Seastoke]

So did you have normal ferries before chain.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

So did you have normal ferries before chain.

Over 100 years of chain ferry I think.
As to getting their mates to build it, their mates, ie an Island firm, were not interested for the money on offer. It was built by a firm in Milford Haven, who were perhaps not best placed to get an in depth understanding of the problem, and how things had changed since the last one was built. Like all such public works cock ups, no one factor is to blame. I’m sure the yard could produce perfectly satisfactory boats, and the local council are not completely stupid. Nor could Cowes Harbour Commission have foreseen the effect of a simple stone breakwater. That has changed a few more things than anyone thought.

 

[Montemar]

Old one is near Haslar marina in Gosport but looks a bit ropey now.

 

[dunedin]

I thought our biggest white elephant is heading back for repairs at Rosyth - Investigation into fire onboard aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth

 

[luke collins]

Can they not put side thrusters on it for the big tides?

 

[Lightwave395]

There's a rumour - no more than that - allegedly originating from locals connected with the ferry, that the current nightmare was actually not built to the 'spec' but that there happened to be a new one kicking around that was modified somehow and lumped onto the island, assumingly as a 'special deal, perhaps.
The spec may or may not have been an improvement if that's the case, we'll never know

 

[Sticky Fingers]

The council has commissioned a report, which it has received but refusing to publish. I don’t know how that equates to open and transparent government.

 

[bedouin]

The council has commissioned a report, which it has received but refusing to publish. I don’t know how that equates to open and transparent government.

FOI - unless SNP are involved in which case everything has already been deleted.

 

[Poignard]

Pity they didn't build a tunnel when they might have had access to EU infrastructure funding.

 

[Seastoke]

FOI - unless SNP are involved in which case everything has already been deleted.

Is there another way to get to the island

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Pity they didn't build a tunnel when they might have had access to EU infrastructure funding.

Theres nowhere to build entry ramps.

Is there another way to get to the island

This ferry runs between the 2 halves of Cowes. It would be seriously ambitious to try a chain ferry over the Solent.

 

[Elessar]

Can they not put side thrusters on it for the big tides?

#15

 

[colhel]

You'd need some pretty powerful thrusters and I wouldn't have thought there'd be room. Also, if it's a flat bottom they'd have to fit underneath which would would mean they'd get knocked off when the ferry approaches the slipway. Probably.... I'm guessing

 

[Elessar]

There would always be water amidships.

 

[Poignard]

Is there another way to get to the island

The 120-year-old plan for a tunnel from the New Forest to the Isle of Wight

 

[Chiara’s slave]

The 120-year-old plan for a tunnel from the New Forest to the Isle of Wight

However, we're an island. Not all of us want the hoi polloi to have easy access.

 

[Poignard]

However, we're an island. Not all of us want the hoi polloi to have easy access.

Yes indeed, we don't want all the riff-raff from the IoW coming over to our island.

 

[Poignard]

Theres nowhere to build entry ramps.

I can't find it again to quote it, but earlier this evening I glimpsed something that said where the tunnel entrances would have to be.

 

[Poignard]

All I can find is this but this is for a pedestrian tunnel,:

"3- The Immersed tube pedestrian subway under the Medina River at Cowes, replacing the chain ferry to offer 24-hour, reliable connectivity. The subway project may need government financial input, but the increased tax revenue from the subsequent economic recovery may offset that investment. Pro-Link believes the pedestrian tunnel should be free to use, with capital costs potentially offset by income from advertising space and income from the vehicular Medina crossing. At present the £3.2million chain ferry has lost over £10million since 2016, while operating sporadically."

The PRO-LINK Campaign for an Isle of Wight Fixed Link. < Solent Freedom Tunnel

 

[ashtead]

They always have the ability to blame the previous administration. At least the current group have been brave enough to recognise the issue but I just wonder how long any replacement will take . Surely given the tidal issues mentioned by others one solution would be to make a crossing lower down the medina using the waste land down the banks of river to create a ferry more like those at Dartmouth and just scrap the idea of a chain ferry. I seem to recall the slipways were charged when FB6 arrived so if they went back to smaller FB5 version it might not fit now. I wonder what compensation was paid by the designers ofFB6 or was this down to a council created design I wonder or the creators of FB6 ? It all seems another example of council mismanagemt to add to the Ryde ice rink,the Westridge swimming pool, the Ryde esplanade building site which seems to have added nothing etc,ryde marina which seems somewhat struggling, along with the issues with the Ventnor roads etc continuing to be unresolved.