An ‘engagement process’ seeking Islanders’ views on a new Cowes to East Cowes floating bridge will be held by the Isle of Wight Council in Spring 2025.
The process, which will form an ‘integral part’ of the replacement project, will ensure people’s views are heard, the council said.
A spokesperson said it is ‘finalising requirements’ to appoint specialist advisors for the project.
They said:
“Together they will review the previous business case, update it where necessary and carry out a refresh of the options appraisal.
“Work is being carried out through the council’s standard procurement process and we are looking to appoint the successful bidders mid-February 2025.”
In March this year, the council’s cabinet unanimously agreed to replace the troubled, £3.5m Floating Bridge 6 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”.
Cllr Jordan said the agreement reached was the beginning of a process and that options would be looked into which the council would refer to before the purchase of a new ferry.
The cabinet decided prior information, in the form of council reports and reviews put together in recent years, would be used to inform the next steps of the replacement process.
Floating Bridge 6 has been out of service multiple times since the March decision.
Last Wednesday, the vessel was withdrawn from service between 9am and 6pm for maintenance purposes.
The ferry was also suspended at the beginning of this month due to a cable needing to be replaced as a result of what the council called ‘usual operational wear and tear’.
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