Manly Fast FerryPage created Monday, 12th July, 2010 - HTML 4.01 TransitionalLast modified/checked: Tuesday, 18th October, 2011 During 2008 the NSW Government made the decision that the Manly JetCats would be withdrawn as a cost cutting move. As such, the operation of scheduled services by Jetcats ceased on the 31st December 2008. A replacement service operated by "Bass & Flinders Cruises" and called the Manly Fast Ferry commenced from Tuesday 10th February 2009. Interestingly, from a ticketing perspective, this new service uses smartcard technology. |
rides being deducted for each journey. Top-up facilities (in "blocks" of ten trips) are available at both Manly and Circular Quay. Single journey tickets are issues on flimsy thermal paper. There appear to have been two production runs of the smartcard, the earlier (numbered below 10,000?) with a white border, the later not having the white border. During 2009 the NSW Government made a surprise decision to retender the Circular Quay - Manly ferry routes based on wharf access fees. As a result of this retendering process, an opposing company called Sydney Fast Ferries won the right to operate scheduled services between these two wharves. By October 2011, both operators continue to provide services - this may yet change as a result of the newly elected Liberal Governments announcement to privatise the running of all Sydney ferry services. |