A survey conducted by Manly Observer has indicated a strong desire for the return of the Manly-Pyrmont-Darling Harbour My Fast Ferry service, particular for mid-week morning peak periods.
A link at the end of our recent story signalling the slow return of the once popular service yielded 160 reader responses. The article has been viewed on the website over 3,000 times in the last week and considerably more via social media.
The strongest requested days for patronage were morning and evening peak hours on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
We also received 50 comments expressing frustration with the removed service or requests for its speedy return.
“Traffic is so much worse as people being forced into cars due to these decisions. I would love to get back on public transport,” one responded commented.
“This is an essential service that should be reinstated to assist with the congestion of the spit bridge,” wrote another.
Some residents were impacted by the loss of direct access to Milson’s Point, which was a stop along the way toward Pyrmont.
“For my daughter to get to school. With less school buses from the beaches now we need the ferry as an option for school kids,” one respondent wrote.
And another: “School children in the city and kirribilli would and did use this service and miss using it. Given other forms of transport have been reduced or cut off for our kids more cars are being pushed on the roads in order for parents to get their kids to school at different times.”
Many respondents knew of others waiting for the service to return:
“I know a lot of my colleagues and friends that work in Pyrmont can’t wait for this ferry to be back running to get us to / from work,” one person wrote.
A number of suggestions came through:
“Please bring back the ferry from Manly to Pyrmont. This was arguably the only workable public transit option as anything else at least doubles the commute time or has me driving in as an individual which isn’t ideal for the environment or adding to traffic congestion. Also, to manage your own profitability and resourcing I feel all that’s needed is 1-2 options in the morning on weekdays and 1-2 options in the evenings on weekdays. You could have people pre-book as well to manage capacity or decisions to open up another ferry time if demand requires.”
While others didn’t know it existed and said they were keen to use it now they know it could be an option.
“I’ve been commuting from Manly to Pyrmont for work for three years and didn’t even realise there was a service before the pandemic! Will use it every single day if it returns,” one local wrote.
Others felt frustrated that the service wasn’t being offered publicly if the private operator wasn’t keen to do it.
“Without the Pyrmont Manly ferry I have to drive. It’s a very difficult area to commute to. There are no buses Circ Quay to Pyrmont buses either. Surely James Griffin can step in to get more cars off the road,” one respondent wrote.
And another: “Traffic is so much worse as people being forced into cars due to these decisions. I would love to get back on public transport.”
We understand that NRMA, who runs the My Fast Ferry Service, is not obligated or contracted to run the Pyrmont service. The information has been provided to them and Manly MP James Griffin for consideration.
