On-demand ferry trial for Bays Precinct, Barangaroo
A new trial will soon see on-demand ferries zooming around the Bays Precinct, which commuters and tourists will be able to book with an app.
Central Sydney
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An on-demand ferry will soon connect Sydney’s Bays Precinct and Darling Harbour, with trial services set to begin next month.
In what the State Government is calling Australian’s first true on-demand ferry service, commuters and tourists will be able to use their phones to book a seat on the 12m MiniCat from 7am to 10pm week days and 8.30am to 7.30pm on weekends.
Transport Minister Andrew Constance said the service would offer “more versatile, personalised” transport options.
“We’ve seen a great response to our on demand bus trials. Now we’re going to see this on demand ferry taking people around our beautiful Harbour city,” he said.
“The Bays Precinct is popular with both tourists and our more regular public transport customers.
“The wharves selected for this trial are not currently serviced by regular ferries so the new on demand service will help to connect this area to the major transport hub at Barangaroo.”
A 43-seat MiniCat with a capacity of 60 passengers will serve the densely populated area, including the suburbs of Pyrmont and Glebe, for six months.
There will be stops at Sydney Fish Market, Blackwattle Bay Park, Pirrama Park at Pyrmont and business district Barangaroo.
Customers will be able to book a seat through the Tranzer app, at ticket kiosks or by calling over the phone.
Balmain state Greens MP Jamie Parker welcomed the move but cautioned its cost may deter patronage.
Services are set to start in October and will cost $7.60 for a one-way adult pass, and $3.80 for concession commuters.
“The idea for this ferry service was born here in Glebe and for the last three years I’ve been pressing the government to get it done,” Mr Parker said.
“If it’s going to work, this services needs to be considerably cheaper than an Uber into Pyrmont.
“I’m calling on the government to make the Glebe ferry permanent, Opal compatible and more affordable for commuters.”
Private operator Transdev, which runs several bus services around Sydney on behalf of the State Government, will carry out the trial.
The first vessel is dubbed Me-Mel, a Gadigal word for what local Indigenous people call Goat Island.
It is unknown whether the service will continue after the trial period ends.
Captain Cook Cruises and Uber have previously offered on-demand ferry services, but the government claims they were not true on-demand services as they were timetabled services commuters could book on an app.
The MeMel will not operate to a timetable and be at the whim of commuter requests.
On September 13 an on-demand ferry service ran by Captain Cook Cruises from Elizabeth Bay was discontinued due to “significant cost pressures”.
The service was introduced in December 2018 but did not attract the expected patronage.
