Isle of Wight fixed link - Some people think tax payer should pay for it ?

[Myneighbourisanosyoldgit]

I live on the island, moved here 15 years ago, working and very happy here.
But since day one there is always complaints about the ferry prices and the need for a fixed link, bridge or tunnel. It's a favourite topic with the moan with Joan brigade.
I know the logistics and the costs can be high but so many people move here then complain because it's costly to get back to see their families, fair enough, but why moan when they know it takes a ferry to travel over the Solent and it costs money?🤔
They didn't move here by road and then the Solent appeared over night.
Now, a fixed link would cost god knows how many millionsto change the infrastruture at Portsmouth and where the tunnel/ bridge arrives on the island.
A lot of these people have not seen the Channel tunnel lay out obviously.
It would be smaller but would still need so much space for it.
Our roads are not exactly wide either and some can be a challenge so with an increase on cars and traffic some of those would need to be widened.
It would impact on the environment immensely and probably trash the tranquility and natural beauty of the place which are some of the reasons people move here.
So, when idiots are in the local newspapers [ small groups 'protesting' with their placards 'Fixed link NOW' Have they really thought past their narrow little ideas of the bigger implications if it went ahead?
But the main thing is and here is the best bit, they expect the taxpayer to bloody well fund it !
So please give what ever you can to finance this project that will only benefit a tiny percentage of the country, a coffee morning or sponsored walk /sitting in a bath of baked beans. It all helps.
Or we could just laugh at them and say on your bike [or ferry]😀

I used to live on the IOW and used the hovercraft, we also had a weekend house in Worthing so travelled weekly. It wasn5 expensive with residents pass. How much is it now?

The chances of this happening are slim as they are too busy ploughing money into developing the Solent region and rapid bus transits. The ferry should be subsidised though to make it cheaper if they are going to do anything. It’s really off putting how expensive it is. I’d go far more than the handful of times I have if it wasn’t.

Depends on when you travel and islanders obviously have discounts but even if the crossing was £25 for a car with 1 - 8 people some would still moan about it.

Also the spit is disappearing - it gets smaller after every winter! The land there is too volatile to build anything.

Surely the obvious answer is to nationalise the ferry and hover services?

The Royal Navy will veto any link that interferes with access to Portsmouth and Gosport.

Why?

We go to the island yearly and get the lymington ferry. Its so frequent but expensive. Was thinking of moving there but the need to keep getting back to the mainland for family made us rethink.

A bridge would really change the island imo. I don't know really. I can see it working from lymington perhaps... is the main problem access to hospital services ?

The ferry is so quick and easy to access too at lymington

The main problem is that having chosen to live on an island people don’t want to pay to get on and off it

Yes, got to get aircraft carriers in and out

Because it is a public service.

The main problem is unfettered road access via a link would change the whole island. ATM, it's like stepping back in time; relatively peaceful when compared to the mainland.

Those in favour of a link tend to be the people who've enjoyed a holiday, have been swayed by the charm and slower lifestyle, and think it would be good to sell up and retire there. It's only when the cost of getting to the mainland combined with their first winter (meaning fewer ferry crossings due to lack demand and occasional limited services due to weather) that reality bites and the moaning begins.

Yes and it would also be pretty much impossible to route a large road or dual carriageway down to Milford or between there and Lymington which is surely what you’d need. As has been said the traffic is already ridiculous in the summer months across the whole of the NF.

The terrain on the other side on the IOW is also a barrier, there is a fair bit of elevation along the coastline between Norton and Colwell.

The most feasible route would imo be a tunnel on the eastern side of the island linking to Portsmouth, but that would surely cost many many billions.

I really want to visit the island, but refuse to pay the ridiculous ferry fees.

A fixed link will never be built. It's just clickbait for the County Press & Island Echo to get the Yachties and Overners up in arms.

They actually need Wightlink & Red Funnel to invest in maintainance. We pay between £70 - £100 (with a frequent flyer 20% discount) to bring a car over each fortnight to care for a housebound family member. The number of delays & cancellations on the boats is ridiculous. We wish we could have persuaded them years ago to move to the mainland like we did.