41313 overhaul at East Somerset for IOWSR

expensive enough, were my house there it would be pushing 1/2 a million, here it's yours for €195000.

 

There is no easy answer, a road bridge, or tunnel would swamp island roads , so unless you invest in a major road building that in turn would destroy much of the attraction in the first place its a non starter, and where do you pitch the fares? and whilst it would make getting to and from the island easier, it would still be expensive as it would have to pay for its self no doubt. so wheres the narrowest bit most likely the Yarmouth end,

A Rail tunnel also would be expensive, and again, where would it surface on the island and can it join to island line ? The only possible route would be to come ashore between Cowes and west wight and to use a new route across onto the old Newport to Sandown route to terminate at Sandown , and the mainland entry point to be somewhere near to lymington

 

Do I hear irate alarm calls from Red Squirrels and the ringing metallic rasp of sharpening stones against steel carrying on the winds from the Isle of Wight?

Given the level of spending required to allow the island's roads to cope with the influx of traffic, coupled with local objections, my guess is that the government will choose the path of least resistance, the moreso since it happens to be the one (a) maintaining the status quo (b) involving little or no additional expenditure and (c) won't lose them votes by the thousands.

 

I do agree , nothing will happen, I do wish however that the ferry fares were on a par with those enjoyed in Scotland. The ferries to the Scottish Islands are under some kind of regulation so much so that journeys of 4 or 5 times the distance are still at a fraction of the price that we have to endure.

 

I like the IoW, and have been several times - I didn't mean to say it was affluent; only that it is seen in London as part of the affluent South-East region. Similarly to the way that several towns on the mainland, e.g. Hastings, aren't wealthy but it is the perception in London that anywhere in the South-East is well off.

John

 

I can vouch for that, Some South east Coastal towns have levels of deprecation on a level with some Northern towns, And the Isle of wight is no different. any seaside town without an other source of employment will struggle .
Now back to the fixed link, it won't happen in most of our life times, if at all.

 

Probably due to Cal-Mac remaining a subsidiary of David MacBrayne Ltd. a company wholly owned by the Scottish Government. Fortunately for yer actual IoW passenger, they benefit from the manifold blessings of free enterprise, rather than being burdened by the shackles of faceless state controlled beauracracy.

Did that sound convincing enough? It can be so hard to tell sometimes.

 

I suggest that you take a close look at the impact that the reduced fares, introduced a couple of years ago, have had on the Islands. Fares fell by more than half, thereby dramatically increasing the number of cars to the islands, such that at the height of the season the roads struggle to cope, and there is insufficient accommodation and not enough camp sites. Ferry places have to be booked in advance and even so you have to be in the queue at least half an hour before sailing. Oban ferry terminal is more like an airport than anything these days. There would be nothing wrong with such radical change if the island infrastructure were invested in at the same time but predictably this has not happened. Be wary about what you wish for.

Peter James

 

Intersting point by @torgormaig Do IoW residents qualify for any reduction in ferry tarrifs?

 

Yes residents do get discount. Works out about 50 quid return for car and 2 people.
Terry

 

True. You can't have the bun and the ha'penny. If there were investment in Hebridean infrastructure, it would probably destroy the attraction of the islands for tourists, but the islanders would probably be better off in terms of their general economy outside of tourism. Choices!

John

 

that's very expensive, to be fair the fare should be in line with something like Severn Bridge Toll

 

As a regular visitor to Arran before and after the ferry fares were slashed, I can vouch that this is true...

But again, as with the IOW, any major upgrading of island infrastructure would effectively destroy what makes the islands appealing in the first place. It's a no-win situation, because many people want 'picture window' tourism - they want to see somewhere that they regard as 'unspoiled', yet with all the perks of the 21st century living that they have at home.

"What? No mobile signal or free WiFi? No superstores? No 24/7 breakdown rescue? It's an outrage!"

 

That is the price on a good day but all too frequently the price is higher, much higher. Something that puzzles me is that if you stay away for more than one night the overall price of the return ticket increases. So a £50 day return can increase to typically £75 for a long weekend return, you are still making the same journey so why the difference? Does anyone have a logical reason why?

 

I suspect just supply and demand of places on ferries - if typically people wish to go over on Friday evening and return Sunday evening, then space on those ferries becomes relatively scarce whereas, say, returning on Saturday evening may be quiet. So the companies will adjust prices to try to encourage at least some people to take alternative itineraries to try to even out usage.

Tom

 

I went to the IOW for the IOWR 40th anniversary gala, out Thursday and came back Tuesday. While the cost did not vary much for travelling out, the cost to return on the Tuesday was a lot cheaper than the Bank Holiday Monday , and I came back on a earlier ferry than I was booked on.