Cowes Floating Bridge
Cowes Floating Bridge (or Chain Ferry). Floating Bridge No 6, pictured, was first brought into service in May 2017. | |
| Waterway | River Medina |
|---|---|
| Transit type | Chain ferry |
| Carries | Up to 20 cars |
| Operator | Isle of Wight Council |
| Began operation | 1859 |
| Predecessor | Floating Bridge Company The Southampton, Isle of Wight and South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Co. Limited (Red Funnel) |
| System length | 125m |
| Travel time | 2 to 3 minutes |
| Frequency | Continuous while open |
| No. of vessels | 1 (No. 6) |
The Cowes Floating Bridge is a vehicular chain ferry that 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, and remains the only way to cross the River Medina between the towns without taking a ten-mile trip via Newport.
The ferry currently used is named No. 6, the sixth to be owned by the Isle of Wight Council, and ninth in total. It was built in 2017, and can carry up to 20 cars.
It was installed on 14 May 2017, but the service was suspended by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency after a string of technical issues, and a passenger-only replacement service was provided by a small launch. After several months of service suspension and intermittent operation, full service finally resumed early in 2018. Since then, it has continued to be plagued with issues, and has become known for its breakdowns and problems.