If a new floating bridge is to replace the troubled FB6 then it could be in the water within three years of commissioning.

This is the estimate of Cllr Phil Jordan, the Isle of Wight Council's cabinet member for infrastructure and transport, running contrary to officers' estimate of four to six years.

But Cllr Jordan emphasised no decision has been made yet on the future of the troubled ferry, which is currently out of service after its latest motor drive problems.

He also confirmed legal mediation had not yet started with the builders and designers of the vessel.

He told last week's cabinet meeting he had asked for it to be completed by the end of November.

Before the meeting, Cllr Jordan said a new vessel would only take three years from start to finish to put into place and branded the four to six year estimate as 'wide off the mark'.

A report, due to go before cabinet in October, will set out the next steps of FB6, which has been plagued with problems since it went into the water in 2017.

The report will seek approval from cabinet to carry out essential redesign and reconfiguration work, but also says it would take four to six years to get a new vessel if that is the direction councillors decide to go in.

An Isle of Wight Council spokesperson said the previous vessel, Floating Bridge 5 took around three years to install and the timeframe given for a new vessel was based on outline timescales for public procurement and the delivery of a unique multi-million piece or Island infrastructure.

They did say, however, some of the individual elements could be shortened or done in parallel to reduce the overall time frame.

The council is also in the process of commissioning a technical report, which would assist the authority with the mediation process, to understand and explain the 'substantial losses' the council has faced over the course of FB6's lifetime.

Cllr Jordan said: "Until we do the mediation, and until we get the report in at the end of the year, no decision about the potential future of the bridge will be made by this administration but when it is, we will be making a serious decision and delivering on our commitment of the Floating Bridge."

Next May, the Floating Bridge 6 will undergo its statutory five-year inspection by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency when it will be out of the water for four weeks.