A new Ferry era begins !

Yesterday, Sydney's tired old Ferry fleet changed hands.  Instead of being run by the state government, the ferries will be controlled by Harbour Cities Ferries Consortium, bringing a breath of fresh air to our water transport services.

Sydney is one of the few cities of the world blessed with a magnificent harbour which lends itself as the solution to our transport problems.   In the past, ferry services have been stagnant because government departments are not known for innovation and moving with the times.   Ponderous decision making and avoiding any sort of risk saw constant changes to service availability and the vessels needed to carry the passengers.    Governments also have one eye on the political fallout from these decisions and funding has to compete with the full array of demand from all quarters.

What is incontestable is the fact that our roads are not meeting the ever growing demand of more and more cars.   Road journeys at peak - and peak now encroaches on extended periods - are getting slower each year and huge spending on new roads makes very little difference to travelling times.   We have this beautiful harbour right in the middle of the city, ready and able to provide the relief that is not possible within the road system.

What it needs - and what it will now get - is a consortium free of government restraint to evaluate and provide a decent ferry system.  The people of Sydney will utilise water transport if it provides the right services at the right running times within a reasonable cost structure.

There will probably be little immediate change.   This is the stage when all operations will be reviewed and decisions made.   Some of the older vessels need replacing  and that does not happen overnight.  The important decisions will be in the area of getting ferry traffic to coincide with the needs and wishes of the patrons, rather on what suits the ferry operators, as happened in the past.

Few would prefer to sit behind the wheel if a car in bumper to bumper traffic, slowly edging their way to work when there is an alternative of sitting in a comfortable seat on a ferry, enjoying the view and casually being entertained by a book or an electronic news service.

Hopefully, the right people now have the chance to combine the needs of Sydney commuters with a ferry transport option  that not only takes some pressure off our roads, but adds to the living standards of Australia's premier city.