The IOW Council refused to undertake a fixed link referendum in 2014, claiming it would cost around £1 per islander = £140,000. They also stated that any result would not be binding anyway. The then MP Andrew Turner, requested on the BBC television that any potential referendum should be undertaken only after a route scheme had been published.
There have been many polls and surveys since late 2014, gauging sentiment of whether islanders want a cross Solent fixed link or not? All results have been a positive majority, becoming more and more conclusive as time progresses.
Each of the surveys and polls below were completely independent. The County Press pushed ahead with two, also a government e-petition and independent on-line news media ‘IslandEcho’ tested 10,000 with 73% in favour of a fixed link.
November 2014
54% in favour of a fixed link of any kind.
The earliest poll in November 2014 by the IOW County Press had the majority for a link.
The Chancellor at the time – George Osbourne, assured islanders he would look at the IOW Fixed Link option… READ MORE
March 2015
68% in favour of a fixed link of any kind
Each of the two petitions below, were organised by two different groups. PRO-LINK organised the petition for the fixed link while another anti fixed link group organised a petition against a fixed link at the same time. Again, the results were conclusive in favour.
1,614 signatures against
5001 signatures in support
March 2017
71% in favour of a fixed link road tunnel
SurveyMonkey experts carried out the in depth survey below, overseen by the IOW County Press. 5000 people completed the survey and again the results were conclusive. Read the reasons why 5000 individual people, either do or don’t want a fixed link / study….. some are comments considered shocking. READ THE FULL 347 PAGE REPORT.
- The comments opposing a link start on page 107.
- The comments supporting a link start on page 182.
The comment lists give a good understating why people may or may not support an IOW Fixed Link.
The results
A selection of the media reports on the survey are below:
OntheWight produced a good informative article. Read the complete article … HERE
The Island Echo article was ignored by the IOW Council… READ MORE
The County Press for oversaw the authenticity of the survey…
November 2018
10,000 polled … 73% in favour of the Solent Freedom Tunnel.
The last independent poll to have been undertaken had 10,000 participants. Again, a conclusive majority in support of an IOW fixed link… READ MORE
The IOW MP and IOW Council have refused to act upon these results, by instigating the ARUP VIABILITY STUDY. Questions have to be ask why? Some answers are… HERE