Isle of Wight transport boss says public should be proud of Floating Bridge

The Isle of Wight's transport chief told the meeting the public should be proud of the Floating Bridge

The public is being urged to "be proud" of a chain ferry which has become known for its breakdowns and problems.

Isle of Wight transport chief Phil Jordan made the call after feedback from users of the Floating Bridge, almost half of whom said the service was poor or below average.

Councillor Jordan told a meeting on Thursday the ferry had operated for 97% of its scheduled hours.

The Cowes ferry was last out of service in October.

In September it broke down after it developed an electrical fault, less than a week after undergoing maintenance work.

The service was also cancelled for nearly six weeks between March and April 2022, when the chain ferry was taken to Falmouth for its five-yearly safety inspection.

Mr Jordan, cabinet member for transport and infrastructure, said the reputation of the Floating Bridge, due to historic failures, had created the wrong perception the service was poor.

"We should be proud of that service in the last year. I accept there have been problems with the vessel and service but it has improved," he told the meeting.

A survey between July and August found passengers thought the service could be improved

The council, which runs the Cowes to East Cowes ferry service, said it had developed an action plan, including reviewing operating hours, loading and unloading procedures and staff training.

The downtime had been improved, Mr Jordan said, by having a stock of spare parts, meaning repairs can be done more quickly, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Councillor Ian Ward, the former transport cabinet member, agreed and said the service's reputation had always been incorrect and it was "generally more reliable than a cross-Solent ferry".

A survey between July and August found passengers thought the service could be improved, including operating to a fixed timetable, a new app or text service, email updates and a faster turnaround.

Most told the Isle of Wight Council, which operates the Floating Bridge, that ticket prices were "about right", the meeting heard.