 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 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floating bridge between the two towns was established in 1859 and the crossing is one of the few remaining that has not been replaced by a physical bridge.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, which has 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. 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. The Cowes floating bridge remains the only way to cross the River Medina between the towns without taking a ten-mile trip via Newport. The current vessel was installed on 14 May 2017, but after a string of technical issues the service was suspended by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, and a passenger-only replacement service provided by a small launch. After several months of service suspension and intermittent operation, full service finally resumed early in 2018.