Watch Floating Bridge in action after ‘instant impact’ noise repairs

A Cowes resident has filmed the Floating Bridge after work to improve noise levels was said to have had an “instant impact” by the Isle of Wight Council (IWC).

The sound from the videos shot on the evening of Tuesday (September 25) shows the service is still rather noisy.

A rubber shoe and a mesh mat have been installed on the Cowes side of the bridge to lessen the sound of the ramp when it hits the slipway – although users of the service say the mesh is already starting to lose bolts and has also been criticised for supposedly creating more noise.

Council leader, Councillor Dave Stewart (Niton, Chale & Whitwell) and cabinet member for transport, Cllr Ian Ward (Sandown South) visited the Floating Bridge on Monday (September 24) to inspect the work and thank staff.

Noel Turner-Brooks, a resident who lives close to the chain ferry service in Cowes shot the video on Tuesday evening.

He said: “It’s still noisy, we just hope it doesn’t hit our garden wall. It’s still got problems but it’s not screeching like a tube train like it did before. It’s a bodge job done really.”

Jeremy Pocock, who lives near the bridge’s East Cowes slipway wondered why it has taken 15 months for a relatively simple solution to be installed.

Mr Pocock added: “Why is it that the elected councillors are not holding the officers to account?

“The noise of the prow is reduced which is good, but the noise of the chains going through the ferry is still horrendous. There’s still some noise when it lands at particular sections of the slipway. There’s still a long way to go.

“Coming down and patting themselves on the back with a picture opportunity is frankly quite disgusting. Especially without having the decency to come down and knock on the door and apologise for the suffering we’ve had to endure for the past 15 months.”

Councillors Stewart and Ward inspect the works

Cllr Stewart said: “The initial test results tell us the noise has been reduced, so it appears these solutions are working very well.

“This is certainly good news for our neighbours near the bridge and is part of a concerted effort to further improve the service.

“The next stage will be to design a solution that will ensure the Floating Bridge can operate in all tides – that’s the last major technical problem that needs to be overcome.”

IWC has been asked to provide data and analysis from their environmental noise measurement in A weighted decibels (dBa) before and after the latest modifications.