Clyde Waterfront Ferry Study

Please click here for the full presentation or read on for a summary of the talk.

Dr Alf Baird, from the Napier University Transport Research Institute presented the outcomes of the Clyde Waterfront Ferry Study commissioned by Scottish Enterprise on behalf of the Clyde Waterfront Working Group partners.

Dr Baird began by showing footage of the Hurricane Clipper, a passenger ferry in Australia. Please click here to view movie in Window Media Player format or click here to view as an MPEG.

The Clyde Waterfront Ferry Study was carried out in 2002 and aimed to consider the options to bring about the introduction of fast passenger ferry services on the River Clyde. Dr Baird began by acknowledging the support of Scottish Enterprise and the Clyde Waterfront Working Group, but asked the audience to bear in mind that the findings of the report do not necessarily reflect the opinions of either organisation.

The objectives of the study were to explore the potential of the River Clyde for fast ferry transport by identifying interchange options on both sides of the River Clyde, modelling the operating pattern for a River Clyde fast ferry service based on the landing stages selected and using this to estimate the commercial viability of such a service. Finally the study aimed to show the advantages and disadvantages of such a service and make recommendations on how it might best be developed.

There are various public perceptions of waterborne transport which need to be addressed. For example that waterborne transport can be slightly rough and ready, potentially unsafe or unreliable. As Dr Baird explained, thankfully the reality is rather different nowadays. Modern ferries provide a highly sophisticated, reliable method of transport where journeys can be fast, yet relaxing, and with excellent views of the river. Examples and photos of similar fast ferry services in London, Brisbane, Sydney, Lisbon, Southampton and New York were shown.

Modern urban ferries used around the world are mostly reliable, comfortable, fast catamarans (typically more than 24 knots/40 kms-hour), with low wash designs. Most urban ferry systems are public sector driven, yet often private sector operated, and can provide a successful public transport product. In addition, vast numbers of tourists are attracted to urban fast ferry services.

Following consultation with local authorities, Scottish Enterprise, the Tourist Board, Scottish Natural Heritage, Clydeport, Strathclyde Passenger Transport (SPT), Clydeport and existing boat operators, the study identified ten terminals, on either side of the river, along a 13.5km route from Glasgow city centre to Erskine. The service operating pattern which the study modelled was based on using four fast ferries operating at a twenty minute peak frequency and forty minute off peak frequency. Multiple, long and short journey options could be possible in such a system. The end-to-end journey time of forty minutes, with shorter trip times for most other journeys, was comparable to that of other modes of transport. The river bus times were broadly similar to the train and bus journey times and shorter than the peak time bus journey time.

Dr Baird then highlighted links with existing transport services, in particular, with the Glasgow Underground system which crosses under the River Clyde at Partick and in the city centre. Effective integration here could provide an excellent interchange between ferries and the Underground. Park & Ride was another realistic possibility at various interchanges, such as Erskine.

There are a number of advantages to be derived from a Clyde River Bus using fast ferries. First, it would provide a fast, efficient and environmentally friendly mass transit system. It is cheaper to develop and maintain compared with road or rail, can be implemented relatively quickly. Fast ferries can be used to assist economic regeneration of the waterfront. The waterbuses could also encourage a shift from car to public river transport, especially with appropriate park and ride schemes, and could offer multiple cross and along river journey options. The opening up of new cross-river transport corridors could also promote social inclusion. Finally, the Clyde Riverbus could facilitate the efficient integration of many waterfront redevelopment projects within the broader public transport network.

There are also some disadvantages to the proposal, which mainly relates to the need for up-front public sector investment to help build the terminals and there would also be a requirement for operating subsidy. However, as Dr Baird pointed out, this is already the case with SPT supported rail transport, and certain bus services, public transport interchanges, and of course road infrastructure itself.

Before recommending how such a service could be developed, the study highlighted some of the challenges to its introduction. Dr Baird suggested that the present transport management strategy was somewhat "bridge and rail biased" with an inertia from decision makers in regard to river transport. The study recommended that these issues need to be resolved perhaps with a "Riverbus project champion" and the adoption of a real "River City Transport Vision". Critically this would need the transport authority SPT to acknowledge that the river represented a public transport opportunity in its own right, and for SPT to treat river transport in the same way it treats rail transport in particular.

The presentation concluded with a summary of the study's recommendations as to how a Clyde Riverbus service could be developed. This would require urgent reconsideration of bridge planning and clearance criteria and adapting these to accommodate modern fast public transport ferries, working with SPT to promote and facilitate a sophisticated high quality Waterbus with emphasis on charging and operational support, as well as infrastructure provision. An operator would, of course, be required and the study suggested this would best be achieved through a public/private partnership, and via a competitive tender process. It was felt that private sector public transport companies would respond positively to a realistic competitive tender opportunity of this nature.

However, a failure to implement a comprehensive public transport strategy for the River Clyde essentially means that key decision makers would be ignoring what is potentially a very attractive, quick to implement, flexible, and low cost (far lower than rail infrastructure) public transport option. There is a need to treat the river as a potential strategic transport artery, and in much the same way as road and rail. SPT and the Council in particular, but also all the other entities active in urban regeneration of the waterfront, should view the Clyde as a major public transport opportunity. At the moment, at least in a transport sense, these decision makers tend to see the river as a barrier, along which even more low bridges and highly expensive rail projects represent the only solution. Such a strategy, according to Dr. Baird, ignores the potential of water transport to provide for a more balanced transport system, and does a great disservice to the historic River Clyde itself.

For further information, please contact the Firth of Clyde Forum.