ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY PRESS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1998

18

can be done but do we want it?

T

HE recent publication
of one of the most
important documents

vital to the very future of the

IW as an island has sparked
renewed debate about a

fixed link to the mainland.

The prospect of such a link is not
new almost a century ago in 1900

permission was given for a railway

BRIDGING THE GAP

tunnel under the Solent but the

strong feelings it engenders have not
lessened over the years. -

overall the effects on the economy

The unique and'special nature of the

Island would almost certainly be
destroyed but would the benefits bring
greater prosperity and more jobs to the

an in-depth look at the 100,000

report, the long history of the fixed link
proposals and how such links have
affected other communities. both in
this country and abroad.
We are publishing some of the
report, although it should be pointed
out that some of the figures contained
in it are disputed.

south's economic blackspot?

The feasibility study into a fixed link

compiled by mainland specialist consultants and international consultants

KPMG, came to the conclusion that

would be positive.

This week the County Press takes

The main conclusion of the feasibility study was that the construction of a

link was technically feasible and financially viable.

It would have a significant and positive impact on the economy of the
Island, although a further 1 million
study was needed to assess environmental and traffic implications.
Now Linkland, a mainland consortium which has been examining the
development and construction of a

fixed link since the early '90s, said it

It concluded that not only would the

project be self-financing, a proposed
30 return fare for a car would generate surplus funds to pay for its related
infrastructure and provide what is
first phase study were Linkland and described as a 'dividend' to the Island.
Wight Training and Enterprise. with Three different types of link were
financial contributions from some examined, a bored tunnel, a bridge
Island businesses.
and an immersed tube tunnel with the
The report suggested a possible latter being chosen as the most attracopening year for a fixed link of 2005. tive option.
given the necessary consents.
Continued on facing page.

will attempt to interest construction

companies in taking the venture a
stage further.
The two main sponsors of the recent

the economic and social impact on islands in Scotland, Canada and France DISTINCT
CHANGES

Ill 'mI
quite sure that if you took a
vote today to ask people if they
wanted to take the bridge out,
there wouldn't be very many who
would want to go back to the ferry.

THE actual construction

of the link would be one of
the largest civil engineering projects in the region.
"The .costs associated with
this project are in the range of
[185 million to 770 million."
said the report.
But the likely cost would he
between 200 to 300 million
spread over three to four
years.
In calculating the employment effects of this. it was
assumed that expenditure of
70,000 will support one job
for a year in the construction
industry.
The likely level of job creation would he around 1,00
jobs, during the three to four
year project.
But - these would he spread
across the whole of the UK
and only a small proportion

Prince Edward Island premier, Pat Binns

A NEW era for business was forecast
when one of the world's longest
bridges, spanning almost nine miles,
opened between Prince Edward Island
(PEI) and the Canadian mainland in
May, 1997.
Tempting promises were made over the
Intuit, prosperity the bridge would bring for
the Island which. with 136.000 residents. has a
slightly larger population than the IW.
Opening publicity material predicted millions of dollars were expected to he saved
annually as delays in the shipment of goods
and services were eliminated.
The province was also expecting an increase
in tourist traffic from the 740,0110 visitors who
came to PEI mainly In fern in 1996.
The CP contacted the Island's local newspaper. hit' Guardian. based in Charlottetown, to
see if the predictions lived up to reality IS
months on from the opening ceremony.
In a story published on October 19 this year.
the incoming president of the PH ToMism
Industry Association. Mel Gass. said he was
not surprised that the industry' had had another record-breaking year in 1998.
His Silverwood Motel in Cavendish welcomed just 12 guests in September. 1970. but
this September a total of 1.200 people stayed.
It is estimated that by the end of the season
1.26 million visitors will have visited the island.
boosting the economy I- a total of 1112 million.

The previous year. the first after the

Confederation Bridge opened. there was a
tt hopping 57 per cent rise in tourism. largely
due to its opening.
However. the fact that the length of stay of
tourists fell. lends weight to arguments from
the tourist industry being put forward on the

[Won the effects of a fixed link.

Length of stay for business travellers fell by
II per cent while pleasure visitors stays dipped
by one per cent. adding fuel to concerns that
the bridge is indeed enticing more day trippc rs.
Around 82.000 visitors were day trippers.
The bridge. hailed around the world as a
teat of engineering with spans rising to 197 ft
above the often ice-hound -Northumberland
Strait

cost around 400 million (Can.S1 billion) and its construction took 3' . years.
Under an agreement the Canadian federal
government will make 35 annual payments of
C16.7 million to a consortium of Canadian
companies called Strait Crossing Development Inc. which built the bridge.
The deVeloper will keep the revenue gener-

ated by the bridge tolls for the next 35 years.

after which the bridge will become the property of the federal government_
In an editorial just over a year after the
opening of the bridge. 11w Guardian spoke of
the drovCs of visitors who came to PEI in the
surnm4r. and described the Confederation
Bridge as a remarkable visuataid.
It said: -Rather than diminish our awareness of being an island, the bridge has
enhanced it.
"You can't approach the bridge by car withwit knowing you're crossing a mighty stretch
if water.

"You can't view it from the window of an

aircraft and not he awed by. this remarkable
feat Of modern construction.
There is also every indication that the
bridge is presenting economic opportunities.
Another article in the paper focuses on the
effects of the bridge on. the town of BordenCarleton. once totally dependent on incomes
earned by ferry workers. one year on from its
opening.
It tells of the construction of the Gateway
Village. a 29-acre complex aimed at attracting
tourists with exhibition pavilion. visitor information centre. food and ten retail outlets.
"Borden-Carleton. is adjusting to a new
economy generated by the development of
Gateway Village and other related businesses."
Next door the Prince Edward Island
Emporium is under construction, a 90111 sq ft
complex with retail entertainment and food
services.
The town also now boasts a new industrial
park and business centre. where the newest
occupant of a 211,000 sq It unit is bringing 3(1 to
35 more jobs to the town_
Another article interviews some of the 650
former ferry workers thrown out of work by
the bridge.
Although there is no official tally. one former worker estimated just 20 per cent had
found jobs in the ensuing year.
On the plus side. signs Of an accelerated
pace of life and rampant crime feared by

would accrue to Islanders.

depending on what skills they
could offer.
The KPMG business survey
confirmed that if commuting
to the mainland becomes a
realistic possibility as a result
of the fixed link. Island businesses would have to pay more
to keep their current workforce.
House prices would also rise
and could he pushed up further by prospective second
home owners. previously
deterred by the high cost of
vehicle ferry crossings.
On the impact of toll pricing. the report said if the
charges only slightly undercut

the ferries. the fixed link

would still gain a large market
share and associated revenues,
but the economic benefits
would be relatively small.
But low tolls, or even free
use of the fixed link in the
longer term. would maximise
economic opportunities for
Islanders. although returns to
investors would be small.
The
report concluded:
"Overall. the effect of the
fixed link on the IW economy

bridge opponents were hard to find.

. Island Premier Pat Binns was unable to
name a serious negative impact of the bridge.
He told The Guardian: -I'm quite sure that
if you took a vote today to ask people if they
wanted to take the bridge out, there wouldn't
he very many who would want to go back to

the ferry.
Mr Binns said economic 'indicators had
improved in the last year with retail spending
up and April 1998 figures showed a 14.6 per

cent unemployment rate. down a percentage

point from a year earlier.
A recent Bank of Montreal forecast said the

ItSWer transportation costs and improved

accessibility provided by the bridge would fuel
sustained economic growth in the province.
One convert it
benefits of the bridge is
Pauline Thomson. a former campaigner
against the link..which was the subject of a
referrendum.
She told The Guardian: 71 would have very
gladly helped somebody tear it down when
they v, ere building it."
Mrs Thomson feared it would ruin her
beautiful island.
But now. though she's still occasionally nostalgic forthe ferries. she concedes the bridge is
a prod thing.
"11-s just so much faster to go StIMeWlICIC.-

There are others. however. such as Belly

!Iowan, who-remain vehemently opposed to
the bridge. She has not driven across it and has
no intention of crossing it.
She says there was alw ays a sense of restfulness. of peace when Ira\ eller. got to the ferry
to cross to the island.
Nov,. she sass. speed demons from the
mainland make (kit. ing perilous On PEI's

country highways. And the roads into Charlottetown The bridge which joined L'ile de Re to the mainland in 1988.The island's population
arc so clogged with tourists in the summer she has has been growing continuously for the last 20 years and numbers have increased congiven up trying to see shows at the Confederation siderably since the bridge was opened.
Centre.
. The biggest problem in the first year of operations

was the number of times high winds closed the bridge

to truck traffic 16 closings between Noseniber and
March.

lkspite this the bridge always remained open to

cars.
The private firm. Strait Crossing Bridge. w- hick
operates the bridge. will not reseal the number of
travellers who used it but it is believed the venture is
making a tidy profit.
A spokesman Michel LeChasseur told The
Gnu/Wiwi: "The only comment I can make is that
management is satisfied with the first vear's result."
Guardian editor Gary MacDougall told the CP
that while the bridge had increased tourism hugely.. it
had also changed the shape of the industry.
-When the ferries were running people would stay
longer on PEI- and now more visitors conic for the
day." he said.
'Flie toll booths are at the PEI side of the bridge
and charges are around C14 for a return journey.
Agriculture is the main industry of the island.
which is particularly well-known as a potato exporter.
followed by tourism and then fisheries.
The island is 145 miles long. but is very narrow.
measuring just a mile or so across at sonic points.

Tourism up ten-fold after

French island link opens

T1 IL island of Ude de Re off south west

France was linked to the mainland by a 1.8 mile bridge in 1988.
Main income of the island is tourism and the population of 15.000 is multiplied a massive len-fold in
the summer numths.
A huge 55 per cent of the housing stock are second
homes and consequently the permanent population
occupies milt 9.1 per cent of the theoretical bed
capacity.
Population has been growing continuously- tor the
last 211 years and numbers have increased considerably since the bridge was opened.
Return toll charge toi- the bridge is just under C7 in
the w inter at an exchange rate of nine francs to the
C rising to just user C12 in the summer months for
visitots.
But residents can get across for just under C2

return antl a yearly pass Can he purchased for around

El III.
In- 1997 a total of 2.192.367 vehicles crossed the
bridge of which 868.000 were in the three summer

will be positive. creating new

opportunities for inward
investment and increased
employment."
But it also warned that it

would alter the character of

the Island in a number of distinct ways.
"Almost certainly it will

move from
aquiet, rural.
retirement area to a younger,
more suburban. dormitory
area.
"This needs to be recognised and accepted by .restdents. it the link is to gain
political acceptance.-

months.
The island is about 19 miles long and about two
miles wide.
Like the 1W. 26 per cent of its population are
retired people. Thirty per cent of the pOpulation arc
ica I v active and of these. 30 per cent comv t. t )114
mute to the mainland to work.
The island has 85S companies. of which 37 per cent
are commercial and 19 per cent are Innels and

restattrants,
The year the bridge opened visitors increased by
I 1 per cent. In 1987 there were 679,000 people who
crossed to the island by boat and this rose to
I.S1N1,INN1 on the bridge by 1993.

WHY PICK
A TUNNEL?
ANALYSIS indicated that
the immersed tube option
was the most attractive

financially, although archaeological concerns would

need to be addressed.

Bridge has not brought more jobs to Skye

cost of getting across the
bridge to the Isle of Skye for regular
users. is less than a motorist pays to
cross the River Medina on the 1.W.
Yet residents, councillors and pressure groups in the Scottish Highlands
are outraged that there is a toll at all
and have mounted a vigorous campaign to persuade the government to
remove all tolls.
The 500-yard bridge which links the
Scottish mainland to Sloe officially
opened to traffic in mid-tktober. 1995.
It cost around C80 million to build
through a private finance initiative with
9 million link roads paid for by the
government.
The local newspaper which is based
On and includes Skye. the ltcsi
Highland free Press. said the bridge has
been good for the tourist industry.
despite the cost of a single crossing of

ONE of the world's longest bridges spanning almost nine miles and
opened between Prince Edward Island and the Canadian mainland in
May, 1997.

1:511
8
14:1 regular users can buy hooks of
tickets at discounted rates. which for 20
tickets brings the price down to just

C1.311 a single journey.

The difference between Sloe and
the proposed fixed link for the 1kV is
that the cross-Solent ferries would continue. although it is thought likely that
at least one operater would fold.
hee.Presy editor Ian
Ileyr
McCormack said: "As part of the Skye
bridge package the lion got ernment
insisted Caledonian Macliravne withdraw the ferry sot ice because it did
not want the ferries to compete will
the bridge.
"Continuing the terries would hate
reduced income from the bridge and
taken longer to pay ell the loans." said
Mr McCormack.
The bridge tolls were set at slightly
less than the pro ious terry fares.
The paper was a staunch opponent.
not of the concept of a bridge. but of
the tolls.
-One Of our main arguments is that
there is no alternative access lOr most
of the year," he said.
During the three-month 'high' season
small ferries to Skye.

which has a population at around

10.01111.
The number of isitoi s rocketed
from 2711.36 I in 1995 to 357.396 the following year, when the bridge opened.
although numbers fell back slightly in
1997 to 336.930.
Unemployment in the local council
area of Skye and Lochalsh has not really improved since the bridge was built
according to Anthony Standing. Jobcentre manager on Skye.
With more than a third of the jobs on
the Island involved in the tourist industry. the numbers of jobless fluctuates
according to the season.
"I don't think the bridge has made
much difference.
-LInemployment has dropped eYery.
where in the region. but less here than

in other parts of the Highlands.

"llnrmploymenI in Sky e and
Lochalsh is about six per cent at the
moment but in the next couple of

months it will rise to around I I per

cent. making it the second worst in the
Ilighland region." said Mr Standing.

Transport analysis revealed

that the crossings in the east
are likely to generate most revenue.
Operating costs were exIle said he was aware of two compa- pected of around 1.25 million
nies which had been considering relo- a year for general managecating to Skye but had gone elsewhere ment and toll booth operation.
because of the bridge tolls which are
The report said there were a
more than 26 single for an HUN.
number of options in terms of
"I can't name the firms, but they the . structure of finance,
would have brought up to 41) jobs to" although the project was different from typical private
Skye." said Mr Standing.
Opponents of tolls are citing the fact finance initiative (PFI) transthat research conducted on behalf of actions. This was because
the Highland Council into the effect of financiers would he expected
tolls on tourism showed that up to 50 to share the risks associated
cars a day were doing a 11-turn at the with the volume of traffic.
Because of this, the debt to
bridge because of high charges.
Cllr Allan Beaton. chairman of the equity ratio is lower . than in
Skye and Loekalsh committee of the most PFI financings.
An examination of results
Ilighland Council said: "This survey
confirms our tears that Skye is losing showed that the immersed tunvaluable tourist business because of nel was potentially financeable
on all routes: most routes on
these high tolls.
"The Highland Council must contin- the bored tunnel option would
ue to fight to have this unfair burden he financeahle if there was a
high volume of traffic but most
removed."
Campaigners argue that the removal bridge options did not generof tolls would add C2.5 million to the ate adequate returns, although
Skye economy and increase tourist v k- three could give viable financial returns if traffic volumes
its-by ten per cent.
were high.

TWO-THIRDS OF ISLANDERS OPPOSED FIXED LINK IN LAST POLL

PROVIDING a fixed transport

link between the Island and

mainla nd Britain is not a new
as pon.
Throughout the century 'Solent tunnels or bridges hate been proposed with
regularity. each time arousing fierce
controt erSV.
But each lime the initiativ e has failed
tor the sane reasons a lack of funding
and the absence of.commitment to the
idea In the Island community:
Fervent supporters have always
argued that a link was %nal to the

Island's economic growth.

And on the other side. hate been
staunch opponents w ho !eared it would
unlock the floodgates to a never-ending
stream of mainland traffic.
They said it would cause a gridlock on
Island roads. destroying the special
character and charm of the countryside.
The most detailed study yet into the
feasibility of a fixed link has rekindled a
debate on what is arguably the biggest
issue flieVg the 1W its continued existence as an island.

It's an issue that splits Island opinion

and perhaps because it is so deeply divisive it has repeatedly been buried and
then resurrected again a few years later.
The prospect of .a Solent tunnel
intrigued the entrepreneurs and engineers of the late Victorian era.
One proposal in 1873 involved a tunnel between Eaglehurst near Calshot
and Cowes and another. in 1881 was for
a tunnel linking Portsea and Rydc.
Three years later the idea was for a
tunnel between Stokes Bay and Ryde
Pierhead. with a fort at its midpoint.
In 1901 the South Western and IW
Junction Railway was formed with pro, posed 600.(100 capital .
The company obtained a parliamentary Act to build a seven-mile line linking the Lvmington branch of the
London and South Western Railway 10
the Freshwater. Yarmouth and Newport
Railway through a single-track tunnel
under the western Solent.
The proposed two-and-a-half mile
tunnel was to be built to a maximum
depth of 46 it below the Solent, from a
point east of Hurst Castle on the main-

land. passing under the Island west of

Fort Victoria near Yarmouth. emerging
in the valley of the western Yar.
It would have crossed the river there
to form a triangular junction with the

existing line.
An electricity generating station at
Keyhaven was to supply power for
pumping. ventilation and possibly electric traction and stations were planned
at Pennington and Keyhat en.
Some test bores were made in the
Tolland area. but eventually the scheme
lapsed after several time extensions.
In 1912, with the storm.clouds of the
Great War gathering. the government
was urged to finance a Solent tunnel as
being vital to the Island's defence in case
of invasion.

The following year an electric tube

line between Stokes Bay and Ryde was
suggested.
There was no progress however by
1914 when Britain was plunged into the
First World War.
Further attempts to revive the railway
tunnel idea after the war were unsuccessful. hut. in 1935. the Southern

Railway cane under pressure to breathe

new life into the scheme.
A postal referendum resulted in triumph for supporters of the project.
although the idea of levying a special
rate to fund the tunnel was rejected.
Twenty years later. after the run-down
of the Island railway network had begun.
the idea of a cross-Solent road and rail
bridge to West Wight was hotly-debated.
If British Railways put a line across
such a bridge and re-opened its recently
closed Freshwater to Newport line. it
was argued. that this would relieve the
burden of road traffic and help freight
transport. particularly agricultural produce. to get on and off the Island.
The bridge project. costing between
8 and CIO million. was killed off in midDecember 1955. when the county council voted 21 to 20 to instruct its planning
committee to stop further investigations.
But this did not stop the contemporary journal. The Sphere running it feature on the thorny question Of a bridge
just a few weeks later in January 1956.
This described how a committee
working on a new map for West Wight

asked the then county planning officer

Robert Rose, to report on the possibilities of a cross-Solent bridge.
The resulting report was factual. said
The Sphere. but it split the Island.
The feature describes a war Of words
between diehard opponents, branded
Victorian isolationists and so-called progressives. who argued that something
must he done -about the Island's strug-

but when the same idea was re-examined 2t) years later. the forecast had
climbed to 1:65
On both occasions. consultants
advised the council it was feasible in
terms of construction. navigation and
finance.
But in 1982 the idea was shelY ed.
along with an alternative scheme lor a
rail tunnel from Hatton. Portsmouth to

gling economy. inconvenient ferry services and high freight charges.

The controversial report was said to

Rode St John's.
The concept of a link has restirfaced
periodically since then, notably in 1988

have pointed out that a bridge would

bring Island prices down to mainland
level. attract new light industries and
encourage out-of-season visitors.
.The' Sphere maintained that a Solent
bridge would transfigure the whole Of
West Wight with day visitors, making

when county councillors resolved not to

seek a pre-feasibility study into the evaluation of a fixed link.
In 1990 a project was put forward on
the mainland for a power-generating
barrage carrying a road across the western Solent. but this found no favour on

Yarmouth and Freshwater as prosperous as Ventnor, Shanklin and Ryde.

the Island.

By 1961 a Solent bridge was hack on

the public agenda. but this time the
favoured crossing was between Gurnard
and Calshot.
A cost of C7 million was suggested.

Two years later Linkland. then a

Winchester-bused engineering consortium. first approached the IW
Development Board with its proposals
for an 18 million single lane tunnel
from Ryde to Gosport.

Despite a 'phone poll conducted on

behalf of the County Press, which
showed Islanders were two to one
against a fixed link, the consortium
pressed ahead with trying to obtain

hacking for its plans.

By August 1993 the cost had risen to
1:30 million for a 5,140-yard tunnel with
a proposed charge of 10 for a return
trip in a car.
The following year this was upgraded
to a two-way link costing 61 million
which could he linked with Hampshire
County Council's light rapid transit system.
Linkland have, since then, continued
to modify its plan to cater for requirements, although the concept of an
immersed tube tunnel has remained
unchanged.
A feasibility study won the hacking of
Wight Training and Enterprise (WTE)
and this became a reality through finan-

cial backing from KPMG, Island businesses, WTE and Linkland itself.