Article: Fee-free ferry rides a wave of popularity

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Fee-free ferry rides a wave of popularity

Fee-free ferry rides a wave of popularity
August 31, 2012 - 6:15AM Katherine Feeney

Nearly 3000 people a day have taken advantage of Brisbane's $6 million inner-city CityHopper free ferry service since the maiden voyage two months ago.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said patronage numbers more than doubled in the first two weeks after the paid Inner City Ferry service converted to the new free scheme, and he hoped it signalled support for river travel was on the rise.

Despite low passenger numbers on Brisbane's Cross-Fiver ferries, Cr Quirk said passenger numbers on the free service were more than 19,300 per week.

Figures from the council reveal CityHopper had a record day on Saturday, August 4, with more than 3900 passengers recorded.

By comparison, the three paid City Ferry routes recorded 240,000 passenger trips last financial year, or 4615 total trips a week.

Cr Quirk said the return of more passengers to the river was a welcome advantage to the wider river transport network.

"In the period of July and August compared to the same period last year, there has been an increase to the CityCat network of almost 25 per cent," he said.

"The Brisbane River is one of our city's greatest assets and using this transport network is another way we can reduce congestion on our roads."

But Cr Quirk stressed that when compared to the faster and more frequent CityCat services, the CityHopper was a "leisurely" service intended for people looking to enjoy the river.

"I encourage locals and tourists to give it a go, with the current weather conditions well-suited to a leisurely ride on the water," he said.

Commuters are welcome to use the service and save money as well.

The CityHopper service runs to local destinations including New Farm, South Bank and the CBD seven days a week from 6am to midnight, timetabled every half an hour.

The service stops at New Farm (Sydney Street), South Bank (Terminal 3), North Quay, South Brisbane (Maritime Museum), Kangaroo Point (Dockside, Holman Street and Thornton Street) and the Brisbane CBD, with the total return journey taking around 45 minutes.

In the council's 2012-13 budget, funding was also allocated for a new CityCat terminal at Milton, as well as upgrades to improve accessibility at other CityCat terminals throughout the city.

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/feefree-ferry-rides-a-wave-of-popularity-20120830-253i2.html

[#Metro]

Disturbing. Might actually indicate that fares are waaaaay too high...

[Gazza]

^For the short distances involved in many ferry trips, absolutely!

[somebody]

Does the ferry cost less to operate than a BUZ route?  It carries less.

[BrizCommuter]

The free ferry has created the game of "free ferry lotto" where it shares it's route with cross river ferries.

[BrizCommuter]

Now blogged here:
http://brizcommuter.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/brisbane-public-transport-popular-when.html