Cowes Floating Bridge: Isle of Wight ferry back in service after breakdown

A chain ferry that has been out of action since August is running again.

Isle of Wight's floating bridge, which has been beset with problems since its 2017 launch, suffered an engine issue ahead of the late August Bank Holiday.

Various repairs have been carried out including upgrades to its prows and ramps - the cause of previous failures.

When it is out of action drivers travelling between Cowes and East Cowes face a detour, via Newport, of up to 11 miles (18km).

A replacement launch operates for foot passengers.

The ferry is back in service a week later than expected after parts to repair it were delayed which led to its Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) inspection being put back.

Its staff also had to undergo refresher training.

Since it started service in May 2017, the £3.2m chain ferry has had numerous problems, including broken chains, excessive noise and cars scraping their bumpers.

A council decision on the future of the troubled vessel is set to be made in January, following an independent review from the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership and the outcome of legal mediation, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

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