Graeme Taylor
Action for Public Transport (NSW) Inc.
| 5 March 2010 | |
| Mr. R. Christie A M | |
| Long-term Public Transport Plan for Sydney | |
| Independent Public Inquiry | |
| GPO Box 248 | |
| Sydney NSW 2001 | |
| submissions@transportpublicinquiry.com.au |
Dear Mr. Christie,
Please find attached Action for Public Transport's response to the Interim Report of the Inquiry in regard to future plans for ferry services on Sydney Harbour. If the inquiry requires any further information in regard to the issues raised in our submission please contact me.
Regards,
Graeme Taylor
Action for Public Transport (NSW) Inc.
This submission is a response to the ferries strategy outlined in the interim report of the Independent Inquiry into Sydney's Long Term Public Transport Plan. The report has recommended a radical rethink of the composition of the ferry fleet, a paradigm shift from large to small ferries. The aim of the strategy is to enable ferry services to operate more frequently, and the current fleet is identified as an obstacle to achieving this goal. Action for Public Transport rejects the inquiry's ferry fleet strategy because it is impractical, and instead recommends the continued use of large ferries. This view is supported by an analysis which examines the historical development of the ferry fleet, patronage data, and operational and economic considerations. Recommendations are made for service improvements in areas where there is potential to grow patronage.
Ferries have operated on Sydney Harbour for in excess of 220 years. Both the Manly and Inner Harbour services have a long history of using large vessels which have proven themselves operationally and economically to be the optimal choice for Sydney Harbour. The larger ferries in the current fleet, which reflect this tradition, are the backbone of the fleet. Experiments with smaller vessels such as the three water buses Pelican, Swan and Crane (1934), Kooleen (1957) and the two HarbourCats Anne Sargeant and Pam Burridge (1998) were unsuccessful. These vessels have proven too small to meet passenger demand and have become very unpopular with the travelling public. Hoped for economies have never been realised, and plans to buy further examples of each of these types of vessel have been abandoned. Further detail on the operational limitations of these vessels can be provided to the Inquiry if required.
The waters around Sydney Cove where the city's major ferry terminal is located form one of the narrowest parts of Sydney Harbour. Consequently, from a navigational perspective, the area between Fort Denison and Goat Island is one of the most congested and dangerous parts of the harbour. There are two shipping lanes in this area which are no stopping zones. There is a limit to the number of vessels than can be safely accommodated in Sydney Cove at any one time. Unlike other modes of transport, ferries need to maintain a safe distance from other vessels at all times. The waters around the proposed second city ferry terminal at Barangaroo are also very confined and busy. Doubling or tripling the number of ferry movements in this part of the harbour, due to a rethink of the ferry fleet, would have a major impact on other private and commercial vessels. Operating regular scheduled ferry services on Sydney Harbour amongst the plethora of craft on the harbour is already a major problem for Sydney Ferries. A change in fleet composition to an increased number of smaller vessels would exacerbate this problem.
Berthing facilities at Circular Quay for ferries are already congested and operating more frequent services would be problematic and potentially increase the risk of collisions between ferries. Smaller ferries are unlikely to improve the efficiency of the Circular Quay terminal as only one vessel at a time can be berthed on each side of the pontoons. Slower embarkation and disembarkation of passengers at Circular Quay will lead to the formation of queues of passengers waiting to board vessels, a phenomenon that currently only occurs on the busier days of the year. Any time advantage for passengers from the more frequent departures would be lost in time spent queuing to board ferries, and from an increased probability of more late running services. The ability of the larger ferries to clear the wharves of waiting passengers is fundamental to the operation of ferry services on Sydney Harbour.
Many of Sydney Ferries' services, both commuter and leisure, operate at capacity. Services to the eastern suburbs operated by 275 passenger capacity SuperCats are a good example. Commuters are regularly left ashore at Rose Bay on weekday mornings and leisure services from Circular Quay to Watsons Bay also regularly leave passengers ashore. If the SuperCats were replaced with smaller vessels, then the frequency of services would have to increase to maintain the current level of capacity. With a projected increase in population and residential densities, plus the introduction of a simplified fare structure, ferries are likely to see a continuation of the recent surge in patronage, necessitating an increase in capacity.
Opportunity cost is a tool of economic analysis relevant to the decision making process regarding capital expenditure on fleet. The opportunity cost of building smaller ferries in the near future would be the lost opportunity to purchase of larger vessels that are needed for major services such as Rose Bay and Parramatta River. Government funding for capital expenditure on public transport is scarce and the New South Wales Government would be unlikely to fund the replacement of the entire fleet over a short period of time, or even the purchase of two different classes of ferry simultaneously. The opportunity cost of building large ferries instead of smaller vessels is minimal, largely because there is sufficient passenger demand to fill larger ferries.
The existing fleet of larger ferries could not be used for tourist cruises, based on the requirement for competitive neutrality. Where Sydney Ferries competes with the private sector, in this case the cruise and charter vessel industry, they must do so on a fully commercial basis with no subsidy. It would be impossible to maintain the larger ferries as part of the Sydney Ferries fleet without some level of subsidy.
The plan described in the interim report to use the larger vessels only for tourist work, if this were possible, would also impact negatively on the maintenance of these vessels. Unless vessels like these are used every day the condition of the vessel will deteriorate. When ferries are moored alongside jetties the hull plating is corroded through a process of electrolysis regardless of whether the vessel is constructed of steel or aluminium.
In our original submission regarding ferries to the SMH Independent Public Inquiry to Develop a Long-Term Public Transport Plan for Sydney, Action for Public Transport recommended a fleet strategy. That strategy is presented again as part of this paper for the Inquiry's consideration. Crewing requirements for ferries are set by NSW Maritime and are a matter beyond the control of Sydney Ferries. We recommend a gradual replacement of the current fleet with new vessels as outlined below:-
The trend towards inner city living, and increasing residential densities presents Sydney Ferries with opportunities to grow patronage. The Parramatta River in combination with the proposed second city ferry terminal at Barangaroo would have to be considered the most significant opportunity. There is also potential to further develop services to the Eastern Suburbs as well as the Balmain to Darling Harbour link. The aim of this strategy is to increase average daily patronage out of Circular Quay to 100,000 and grow daily patronage at the Barangaroo Terminal to 50,000. The Manly to Rose bay link recommended in the Inquiry's interim report is unlikely to attract significant patronage, and should be considered a low priority.
Action for Public Transport emphatically supports the interim report's recommendations for better integration of transport across the Sydney Metropolitan area. To achieve better integration of ferries with other modes of transport we believe improvements are required to ticketing, timetabling and passenger Information. Buses, instead of running in competition to the ferries, should feed passengers to ferry wharves.
We recommend that a plan be developed to grow ferry patronage to accommodate growth in population and because it makes sense to use Sydney Harbour for transport. That plan should be built around a fleet strategy based on large ferries. We would be happy to provide more detail to the Inquiry if required.
Graeme Taylor
Action for Public Transport
March 2010