Passenger ferries may link North Shore with Metro Vancouver

[Locked In]

Passenger ferries may link North Shore with Metro Vancouver

By Kelly Sinoski, Vancouver Sun - May 10, 2009 8:02 PM


An aerial view of the Lions Gate Bridge, from the North Shore to the Stanley Park side.
Photograph by: Ian Smith, Vancouver Sun files


VANCOUVER - A proposed private passenger ferry service linking the North Shore with Metro Vancouver could be running as early as this summer.

North Vancouver city staff is studying the proposal, pitched by Simon Fawkes and Scott Jutson, which would see ferries run between the North Shore and Deep Cove, Belcarra, Coal Harbour, Granville Island, Bowen Island and Jericho Beach.

The proposal requires approval from North Vancouver city council for 24-hour use of the floating St. Roch dock at the foot of Lonsdale Avenue for passenger pickup and drop-off.

Mayor Darrell Mussatto said staff is considering safety and insurance issues but he doubts council will stand in the proponents’ way.

“It would be another way to have people, if they're students, go to UBC or go to work downtown without taking their automobile,” he said. “At one time [ferries] were the main way people got across the inlet.”

Dubbed the Waterbus, the proposed ferry service is expected to significantly reduce travel times on all routes with an estimated passenger volume in excess of 200,000 passengers in the first year and 600,000 passengers in year four.

In a presentation to city council last week, Fawkes and Jutson cited a 2004 TransLink study that suggests there’s a demand for ferry service to meet growing passenger volumes.

It also lists other cities which have several water transport systems, such as Sydney, Brisbane, Seattle, New York, San Francisco, Auckland and Dubai.

“Vancouver is blessed with extensive navigable waterways and a growing population that is rapidly overwhelming existing infrastructure,” the report said.

It added the service would need only a minimal investment for the ferries.

ksinoski@vancouversun.com
© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun

Source: Vancouver Sun

[mr.x]

I recall Translink doing a feasibility study on the exact same thing some years ago.


As for "minimal investment", i highly doubt that. People aren't going to ride the boat if it's going to make you sick, if it's a old second hand, and if it's slow.


Sydney's smallest ferry class:

[Distill3d]

Originally Posted by mr.x

I recall Translink doing a feasibility study on the exact same thing some years ago.


As for "minimal investment", i highly doubt that. People aren't going to ride the boat if it's going to make you sick, if it's a old second hand, and if it's slow.


Sydney's smallest ferry class:

thats a pretty sweet looking ferry!

but I do agree, no one will want to ride on this if its slow.

It also seems that it will be a multi route ferry system, or am I interpreting this wrong?

[mr.x]

Not to mention that this ferry network is public transit. People aren't going to take this and then be left in an area poorly serviced by transit...all of the proposed routes have terrible transit connections: North Shore and Deep Cove, Belcarra, Coal Harbour, Granville Island, Bowen Island and Jericho Beach. (perhaps not so much Bowen Island, Deep Cove, and Granville Island considering how those neighbourhoods work.)

Actually, terrible isn't the correct term. Non-existing.

This thing won't work unless they're able to work with Translink in establishing good bus connections.

[lightrail]

Originally Posted by mr.x

Not to mention that this ferry network is public transit. People aren't going to take this and then be left in an area poorly serviced by transit...all of the proposed routes have terrible transit connections: North Shore and Deep Cove, Belcarra, Coal Harbour, Granville Island, Bowen Island and Jericho Beach. (perhaps not so much Bowen Island, Deep Cove, and Granville Island considering how those neighbourhoods work.)

Actually, terrible isn't the correct term. Non-existing.

This thing won't work unless they're able to work with Translink in establishing good bus connections.

It's a non-starter. Even Translink thinks it's a dud and that's why there's no investment in something like this. Too much capital tied up in a boat that is only needed in the peak hours.

[Kwik-E-Mart]

I lol'd at the ridership forecasts. Nonetheless people won't learn the lesson unless money is lost.

I believe they are the same operators as the small craft ferry between Bowen and Granville islands.

[officedweller]

One of the articles I read said that under the proposal, a trip from North Vancouver to Jericho would take 15 minutes and cost $7.50.

[Pinion]

Originally Posted by officedweller

One of the articles I read said that under the proposal, a trip from North Vancouver to Jericho would take 15 minutes and cost $7.50.

I would take that all the time.

[LeftCoaster]

Yeah I would find that a pretty useful service too.

[twoNeurons]

Originally Posted by officedweller

One of the articles I read said that under the proposal, a trip from North Vancouver to Jericho would take 15 minutes and cost $7.50.

That must be moving pretty quick... much faster than the Seabus.

[officedweller]

Here's the longer version of the story - not sure why there's two versions...

North Shore ferry could launch into service this summer
Waterbus expected to carry 200,000 passengers over Burrard Inlet each year

Kelly Sinoski
Vancouver Sun; with files from North Shore News


Monday, May 11, 2009


A proposed private passenger ferry service running from North Vancouver to other parts of Metro Vancouver could be operating as early as this summer.

North Vancouver city staff is studying the proposal, pitched by Simon Fawkes and Scott Jutson, which would see two 12-passenger boats -- and eventually up to eight ferries -- running to Deep Cove, Ambleside, Belcarra, Coal Harbour, Granville Island, Bowen Island and Jericho Beach.

Dubbed the Waterbus, the proposed ferry service is expected to significantly reduce travel times on all routes by carrying more than 200,000 passengers in the first year and 600,000 passengers in year four.

The proposal requires approval from North Vancouver city council for 24-hour use of the floating St. Roch pier at the foot of Lonsdale Avenue for passenger pickup and drop-off.

Mayor Darrell Mussatto said staff is considering safety and insurance issues related to the venture, but he doubts council will stand in the proponents' way.

"It would be another way to have people, if they're students, go to UBC or go to work downtown without taking their automobiles," Mussatto said. "At one time [ferries] were the main way people got across the inlet."

The North Vancouver to Jericho trip, for example, would take about 15 minutes and cost $7.50 one way. Passengers could then take a bus to the University of B.C.

By comparison, a bus from Ambleside to UBC would take about 43 minutes.

In a presentation to council, Fawkes and Jutson noted the vessels would be allowed to travel at a cruising speed of 26 knots (48 kilometres an hour) within the Burrard Inlet.

These speeds will be allowed even when commercial traffic is around the First and Second Narrows, so schedules won't be randomly affected, they said.

The proponents also cited a 2004 TransLink study that suggests Metro Vancouver's waterways could help reduce congestion on the road and meet growing passenger volumes.

Their report lists other cities that have several water transport systems, such as Sydney, Brisbane, Seattle, New York, San Francisco, Auckland and Dubai.

"Vancouver is blessed with extensive navigable waterways and a growing population that is rapidly overwhelming existing infrastructure," the report said.

It added the service would need only a minimal investment for the ferries. New infrastructure wouldn't be required beyond the agreement of municipalities for the use of their docks.

ksinoski@vancouversun.com

© The Vancouver Sun 2009

http://www2.canada.com/vancouversun/...a3bca31&k=2761

[mr.x]

A 12-passenger boat? Are they running the ferry service with dingy's????

[SpongeG]

lame

[djh]

I remember that 2004 Translink study that suggested using the waterways. What interests me is that if Translink has been seriously considering the idea since 2004 and still not come to market with a workable solution, how come these two random guys who apparently have no transit or marine credentials think they can make the system work better than the experts? It just seems they are being naive - especially when they state something like the project would need little to no investment(!)
I'm all for nimble, small enterprise getting in there and making something work where a giant corporation can't fill a niche, but surely Translink has studied the passenger need and the traffic generated, and come to the conclusion that there is currently not the population density or traffic demand to make this work.

[Spork]

Originally Posted by djh

I remember that 2004 Translink study that suggested using the waterways. What interests me is that if Translink has been seriously considering the idea since 2004 and still not come to market with a workable solution, how come these two random guys who apparently have no transit or marine credentials think they can make the system work better than the experts? It just seems they are being naive - especially when they state something like the project would need little to no investment(!)
I'm all for nimble, small enterprise getting in there and making something work where a giant corporation can't fill a niche, but surely Translink has studied the passenger need and the traffic generated, and come to the conclusion that there is currently not the population density or traffic demand to make this work.

• They may be using consultants
• They may have access to resources that Translink does not (e.g. landing space)
• Perhaps Translink is still studying it, or it is caught up in the beaurocratic process
• Translink may have determined that it does not have the capital to invest in this, or the demand would not be great enough (e.g. not interested in running small-scale test projects when busses to "ok")

[SpongeG]

if it goes to Jericho - are busses going to be on the Jericho end to be useful?

without transit on the other end its not going to be that useful

it would serve north shore UBC students well if there was a bus from jericho to UBC

[Rusty Gull]

What impedes a project like this is the fact that there is not a dock at UBC. A service that travelled to UBC every hour or two from North Vancouver would be quite useful for students, staff, etc. Afterall, UBC is I believe the largest employer in Metro Vancouver, and obviously the largest university as well.

If this company could wrap their heads around that issue, and still find a solution to the where-to-dock problem, they might be viable, but it's a longshot.

What would be more optimal is a larger, more comfortable vessel that starts at Lonsdale, and makes stops at Kits, and then UBC. This would increase ridership, obviously, and make the sailing more practical.

[mr.x]

^ i don't think it's possible to have a dock anywhere at UBC considering it's a cliff on all three sides...the closest is Jericho.

[twoNeurons]

Dock at Wreck Beach and install an outdoor Escalator where the stairs are. (Kidding of course).

Or blast a cave at the foot of a cliff and make a dock there, with an elevator to the top. (kidding again).

ORrrr... a Gondola from the foot of one of the cliffs. (totally kidding)

I'm sure they could arrange with Translink to run a community Shuttle from Jericho Beach to UBC.

[usog]

Originally Posted by twoNeurons

Dock at Wreck Beach and install an outdoor Escalator where the stairs are.

Don't forget to put barriers up around the escalator to ensure no one is scarred for life.