Grass roots councils across the Island are adding momentum to the campaign ferry fares fare? Nineteen of the 36 parish and town councils and management committees have now lent their support to the campaign.

Andrew Turner MP, who will be asking the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to investigate cross-Solent services, said he was very encouraged by the response so far.

“As far as I know, every council which has considered the issue has given unanimous backing. I am sure that this support, together with the comments from thousands of Islanders and mainlanders, will influence the OFT when it considers my submission.”

The parish councils which have responded are: Brighstone, Chale, Freshwater, Godshill, St Helens, Lake, Nettlestone and Seaview, Newchurch, Shalfleet, Shorwell, Totland and Wroxall. The town councils are: Brading, Cowes, Ventnor and Shanklin. The management committees are: Newport, Northwood and Ryde.

Four other MPs, with constituencies bordering The Solent, are also backing the campaign. They include a LibDem and a Labour MP.

Mr Turner commented: “This emphasises this is not a political campaign. We are currently doing some additional work on the submission but hope that it will be ready to go to the Office of Fair Trading within the next month. ”

Members of the Island's Women's Institutes and Townswomen's Guilds are also circulating 30,000 questionnaires on Mr Turner's behalf, making them available in places such as shops, takeaways, hairdressers, surgeries and hotels.

You can read Mr Turner's submission in full and comment online at www.islandmp.org

END Contact : Andrew Turner’s office 01983 530808