Cowes Floating Bridge

The interior of the Cowes Floating Bridge

The floating bridge suspended during an annual refit

The Cowes Floating Bridge is a vehicular chain ferry which crosses the River Medina on the Isle of Wight, off the south coast of England. The ferry crosses the tidal river from East Cowes to Cowes. The first floating bridge between East Cowes and Cowes was established in 1859 and is one of the few remaining that has not been replaced by a physical bridge. The service is owned and operated by the Isle of Wight Council, who have run it since 1901. Prior to ownership by the local authority the service was run by The Floating Bridge Company and The Steam Packet Company (Red Funnel). The ferry currently used is named No. 5, the fifth to be owned by the Isle of Wight Council, and eighth in total. It was built in 1975 and can carry up to 20 cars. The Cowes floating bridge remains the only way to cross the River Medina between the towns without taking a ten-mile trip via Newport.

History

Before any kind of floating bridge existed, a rowing boat ferry operated between Cowes and East Cowes transporting pedestrians only. This service was owned and operated by the Roberton family from 1720 to 1859. From 1842 carriages and animals could be transported across using a pontoon which was winched across under horse power. In 1859 the Floating Bridge Company was formed and bought the ferry rights. From 24 November 1859 the first steamboat was used, built on the River Itchen in Southampton. In 1868 the ferry was bought by The Steam Packet Company (which now trades as Red Funnel), and bought a new ferry for the service in 1882. This was used regularly until 1896 when it was used only as a spare when a new ferry was purchased.^[1]

The route was first taken over by the local authority in 1909, when the Cowes and East Cowes Urban District Councils took over their operation. With this, a new ferry was bought and started the system of naming vessels still used today, by numbering them in order of acquisition, the first being named Bridge No.1. These newer bridges were significantly different from past designs, with Bridge No.1 featuring power ramps and electric lighting and was built from steel. In 1925 Bridge No.2 was built, being the last steam powered ship. It was larger than any that had previously operated the route at over 100 ft long (30 m), with a capacity for eight cars. This was later sold on for use at Sandbanks when Bridge No.3 was built and arrived in 1936, being the first diesel-electric powered vessel. Bridge No.4 entered service in 1952 with a capacity for 12 cars. This was used regularly until 1975 when the current Bridge No.5 arrived with a capacity of up to 20 cars. From 1982 there were no reserve vessels in place for the route, leaving Bridge No.5 as the sole ferry operated.^[1][2] In 1988 a direct bus service was created between Ryde and Cowes which involved the bus travelling over on the floating bridge. Small buses had to be used to guarantee space on the crossing, however the service was withdrawn by 1990.

In 2006 the Isle of Wight Council considered converting the floating bridge to only transport vehicles across the River Medina, setting up a launch for pedestrians with a charge of 50p. Prior to this the last time a foot passenger charge was in operation was until 1992, when the vehicle tolls were raised from 75p to £1.25 to compensate for any lost income. While this initially resulted in a slump in sailings from 300,000 to less than 210,000 in 1993, as the diversion travelling via Newport became more congested the popularity of the floating bridge began to rise again. The argument was put forward that by taking out passenger compartments the overall capacity of the ferry could be increased by up to 30 per cent. Following this it was hoped with a prudent approach to future toll increases the ferry route could become profitable. It has historically always made a loss.^[3] However, the idea of introducing a charge was very unpopular with local residents, councillors and businesses and the threat receded.^[4] Earlier vessels included stairs to give passengers access to roofs covering the vehicle deck, a feature not present on Bridge No. 5.

Occasionally the idea of replacing the chain ferry with a swing bridge or tunnel is brought up, however this has yet to materialise into any major debate.^[5] Additionally, the ferry used for the service now looks set to be replaced as part of a £400 million private finance initiative for island transport which would be likely to push back such a debate even further. If the replacement is agreed by the cabinet, the outline business case will be sent to the government for approval.^[6]

Current operations

A sign depicting the various tariffs for the chain ferry in 2016

The ferry operates daily, normally for around 18 hours a day between 05:00 to 00:30, although starts slightly later on Sundays.^[7] There are regular crossings at around every 10–15 minutes, with no formal timetable. Public transport connections are available on both sides by Southern Vectis bus route 1 in Cowes and routes 4 and 5 in East Cowes linking to Newport and Ryde.^[8] Annually, the floating bridge transports around 1.5 million pedestrians and 400,000 vehicles.^[9] At certain times of the year the ferry is unable to operate as it goes through an annual refit. During this time a foot passenger ferry is operated, however the only alternative for vehicles is to travel along the River Medina and cross at Newport.

The tidal nature of the River Medina can periodically restrict operations of the floating bridge during times very low tides. In September 2007 exceptionally low tides caused by a full moon resulted in the river being too shallow for the bridge to operate.^[10] Similarly in 2003 the ferry was left stranded on the banks of the East Cowes side of the river as the tide decreased due to difficulties with a vehicle disembarking the vessel, leaving it grounded. It was then unable to move until the next high tide later that day.^[11]

Due to the Isle of Wight Council Budget Cuts in 2010, the Isle of Wight Council is considering charging 50p each way for pedestrians, cyclists, car passengers, and pillions on the floating bridge.^[12] As of January 2011, the East Cowes Town Council passed a resolution about the floating bridge^[13] and residents have been calling for a public consultation on the floating bridge regarding a financial barrier to cross the 70 metres (lowest tide) to 140 metres (highest tide) could affect the local economies of the two interdependent towns. The River Medina traditionally has not been bridged with a fixed-link bridge in order to allow yachts and barges carrying goods to pass up river to the rest of the island. The last charge for pedestrians ended in 1992 and was 10p (which in 2011 is equivalent to 16p). As of September 2016, pedestrian and bicycle charges were 70p for a return using a Saver Card, or £1 for a return using the ticket machines, although under 18s still remain as free.^[14] A queuing system has been adapted so that passengers commute on and off the left side, after cars and pedestrians have egressed off the ferry. Pedestrian ticket charges are made whilst queuing.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cowes Floating Bridge.

• Isle Of Wight Council page on the Cowes Chain Ferry, includes pictures.
• History of the Cowes Chain Ferry
• History of the Cowes "Floating Bridge"

Ceremonial county of Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight Portal
Unitary authorities	Isle of Wight
Major settlements	Bembridge Brading Cowes East Cowes Freshwater Newport Ryde Sandown Shanklin Ventnor Yarmouth See also: List of civil parishes in Isle of Wight
Rivers	River Caul Bourne River Medina Newtown River Solent Wootton Creek Eastern Yar Western Yar
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Coordinates: 50°45′27.7″N 1°17′29.3″W / 50.757694°N 1.291472°W / 50.757694; -1.291472