Cowes chain ferry: passenger toll approved

The so-called floating bridge at Cowes has been in operation since 1859

Plans to charge pedestrians and cyclists using a chain ferry on the Isle of Wight have been approved.

Protests were held against council proposals to charge for the Cowes Floating Bridge.

Campaigner Marcie Hansen said the vote to introduce a 40p charge was "infuriating".

Isle of Wight Council approved the plan as part of its annual budget and said charges will help fund a replacement vessel.

The 38-year-old ferry linking Cowes and East Cowes, known as Cowes Floating Bridge, is due to be replaced.

The council insisted had to make the charges in order to avoid additional costs to its budget.

Its annual budget implemented £14.5m of savings for 2015/16.

A Facebook campaign, against the charges gained more than 700 supporters.

Campaigners have held protests against charging foot passengers to use the chain ferry

Ms Hansen said the ferry was a "seventy metre lifeline" for residents and businesses, including parents taking and collecting children from school.

"We're not a wealthy community - it will really impact families who are using it to cross several times a day".

She added the new charge would not save the council money because it will put some people off using it.

The ferry enables passengers to avoid a 20-mile (32km) round trip.

Under 18s and free bus pass owners will not have to pay the new 40p charge.

Free river crossings, for an estimated one million pedestrians and cyclists each year had been in place since 1992.

Tolls for motorists currently range from £2.20 for cars to £7.60 for lorries.