From Carl Feeney, Able Connections Ltd (director), Newport:

Last week’s CP headline “Cash plea for fixed link study turned down”, was based on statements from Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce chief executive Kevin Smith.

On February 1, Able Connections presented the case for a fixed link viability study to the chamber’s economic advisory panel (which happened to include a Wightlink director).

We requested the chamber assist us in letting member businesses be informed, to allow them the opportunity to contact Able Connections if they wished to potentially become involved in sponsoring the study.

The chamber itself was not asked for funding at all.

I have subsequently shown to the County Press editorial staff e-mail threads between the chamber and Able Connections, which confirm what we had wanted.

I asked the chamber to publish a statement rectifying matters.

However, I was informed Kevin Smith was on holiday this week, so unable to arrange this statement.

I thank the County Press for, instead, giving me the opportunity to set the record straight promptly.

To reiterate, an independent viability study has to be undertaken to understand whether a fixed link can be constructed via toll income and Solent area economic revenue benefits?

Any institution which obstructs or resists this study, is certainly behaving irresponsibility, to the detriment of the Island and The Solent region.

It will also be opposing the recommendations of the Isle of Wight Transport Infrastructure Taskforce.

Able Connections will organise the study through a regional steering committee, but not carry it out.

It doesn’t matter whether anyone is emotively pro or anti a fixed link...the information gleaned from the study will allow us to either move forward further with a much larger feasibility study, or alternatively submit to rely solely on ferries to cross The Solent.

The study will put that question to bed and we can move on in either direction.