Brisbane’s CityCat Service Presentation by Alicia AmesPhD Candidate

School of Geography, Planning, Environmental Management

The University of Queensland

a.ames@uq.edu.au

The role of water-based transport in history

• Many cities have evolved proximate to water bodies

• Expansion of land-based transport led to the decline of water-based transport

Communication means

Transporting goods, people,

livestock

Accelerated economic

development

(Castonguay & Evenden 2012; Lambert 2010)

“Rivers are a spatial system woven into the geographic fabric of the city” (Castonguay & Evenden 2012 p. 5).

Bangkok’s khlongs (canals)

Khlong Saen Saeb connects the Chao Phraya River to Prachin Buri and Chachoengsao

Source: Iioilo Wanderer 2013 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khlong_Saen_Saeb#/media/File:Major_ferr

y_boat_stop_Bangkok_with_skyscraper.JPG

Source: Fotograf 2006 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khlong_Saen_Saeb#/media/File:Ferrieskhlon

gsaensaeb0609.jpg

Early Brisbane history • Water-based transport most reliable means for

communication and transport of goods and passengers

• Earliest documented ferry services on the Brisbane River are in 1843

• Ferries plied the river connecting small settlements located at Kangaroo Point, South Brisbane and North Brisbane

TOD is generally described as medium to high density walkable, mixed-use development focused around high frequency transit stations, stops

or exchanges and featuring quality public spaces (Calthorpe 1993; Cervero et al. 2004).

Traditional transit-oriented developments (TODs) have been largely land-based.

There is a growing focus on river-based developments and river-based transport.

Ferry-oriented development (FOD)• Waterfront development projects nestled around ferry terminals

• Spur development of waterfront areas, particularly where the decline of port, industrial and military uses has created opportunities for redevelopment

• Land value uplift may occur around terminals

Port Imperial Ferry Terminal, New York

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weehawken_Port_Imperial#/media/File:Weehawken_Port_Imperial

_Ferry_Terminal_on_Hudson_River.jpg

Ferry-oriented development (FOD)

• Hoboken, New York

• 8-10 minute ferry trip from Manhattan

• In some areas, rents are half the price of midtown Manhattan

• Ranked #11 in the Top 20 ‘creative class’ cities in the United States

Source: City of Hoboken 2014

Source: City of Hoboken 2014

Are ferries different?

Waterbody Crossings

9

• Traditionally used to cross rivers, lakes, channels, bays, etc.

• Used to transport people primarily

• Struggle to compete with bridges and tunnels Sydney Ferry (cross harbour route)

Source: Nicole Smith 2015

San Francisco

• Ferries have been used to cross the bay since 1850

• Golden Gate Bridge opened in May 1937

• Ferries declined by the late 1950s

Source: Beautiful Photography Blog n.d.

San Francisco• Serious problems with traffic congestion

on the bridge

• Ferries reintroduced in the late 1960s to help ease traffic congestion

• Extension of ferry services to a third terminal and special event services to baseball games and concerts at AT&T Park

Source: Reddit 2015

Source: Golden Gate Bridge Highway & Transport District 2015

Linear Ferry Systems• Distinct to ferry services that cross water bodies

• Less common to water body crossings, but increasingly being considered

• Characteristics:

• Linear travel

• Operate along a riverfront or shoreline

• Service multiple stops

• Higher speed (22-52 kilometres per hour)

• Passenger focus

• Regular service

Linear Ferry Systems• Cities with linear ferry systems:

• Asia – Bangkok, Manila

• Europe – London, Copenhagen, Gothenburg, Hamburg

• Australia – Brisbane, Sydney

• North America – San Francisco, New York

Source: Groupon, Inc 2015 Source: Bangkok Trip n.d. Source: CBS New York 2011

Brisbane Case Study

Source: Steve Parish Nature Connect 2014

Brisbane’s Ferry NetworkThree types of ferry services:

• Cross river ferries

• Cityhopper ferries

• CityCat catamaran ferries

Cross River Ferries• Conventional single-hull boats

• Carries between 53-54 passengers

• Fleet of 6 boats

• Top speed of 8-12 knots (14-22 km/h)

• 3 cross river routes

Cityhopper Ferries• Conventional single-hull boats

• 8 terminals (2 shared with CityCat service)

• Carries 78 passengers

• Fleet of 3 boats

• Top speed of 8-12 knots (14-22 km/h)

Source: State of Queensland 2015

When were the CityCats introduced?

• Introduced catamaran high-speed boats in 1996

• Initially 6 catamarans in fleet, now 21

• Expanded to 18 terminals

• Carry between 149-162 passengers

• Top speed of 25 knots (42km/h)

• Run by private operator (Transdev) under tender

Why were the CityCats introduced?

Sources : (TL) Australia Trade Coast 2012, (TR) Skyscrapercity 2010, (BL) ABC 2014, (BR) Mactaggarts Place Management 2007.

Reorientation of the city towards the river

Urban renewal agenda

TourismReplace some cross-river ferry services

Why were the CityCats introduced?

University of Queensland

Griffith University at South Bank

Queensland University of Technology

CBD

Link important activity centres

Reorientation towards the river• Economic and commercial uses moved downstream

• Opportunity to redevelop disused industrial, warehousing and port

sites along the riverfront

Reorientation towards the river• Brisbane had turned its back on the river

• 1987 Brisbane’s ‘Year of the River’

• Redevelopment of South Bank for World Expo in 1988

Urban renewal agenda• Hawke Labor Government introduced $816 million Building Better Cities

Program in 1991

• Urban Renewal Taskforce created with local and state government

support

• Focused on inner city including riverfront

suburbs New Farm, Teneriffe, Newstead

• Redevelopment of brownfield sites into

residential, commercial, leisure and cultural

uses

Source: Brett Gray n.d.

Powerhouse at New FarmBEFORE AFTER

Tourism• Provide a tourism opportunity

Source: Trip Advisor 2015

Replace some cross-river ferry services

• Some cross-river ferry services ceased after the introduction

BUT

Go Card data suggests that the CityCats are being used as a linear

service

How were the locations for the CityCat terminals decided?

• Availability of existing infrastructure

• Existing land ownership

• Topography of proposed sites

• Potential catchment land uses and population size

• Alternate public transport modes in the area

What are the processes causing change?

Developers show considerable interest in adding terminals to service

large redevelopment sites along the river.

Source: Economic Development Queensland 2014

A need for flood resiliency

A need for flood resiliency

A need for flood resiliency

Source: Brisbane Inner West Chamber of Commerce 2014

Expansion of the network

Ageing first generation vessels

What are the impacts of the CityCat service?

• Increase in property values around the ferry terminals particularly

for the Regatta, Bulimba and Hawthorne terminals

• Housing affordability around ferry terminals

• Potential for gentrification

• Can reduce pressure on other modes

What could be next for the CityCat service?

Different routes and more express services

Thames Clippers

Hamburg

Better coordination and timing of CityCats with other public

transport modes

Source: Brisbane City Council n.d. http://wwwww.everystockphoto.com/photo.php?

imageId=16163898

Source: Foto Fanatic http://www.yourbrisbanepastandpresent.com/2010/08/n

ewstead-air-raid-shelter.html

Better strategic planning

• Need for an endorsed ferry strategy

• More emphasis in transport planning documents

• City Plan 2014

• Transport Plan 2008-2026

• SEQ Regional Plan 2009-2031

Consider the ‘service’ being offered

Investigate alternative financing options for ferry infrastructure such as

value capture

Brisbane City Council and Regatta Hotel shared the cost of the original Regatta terminal in 2003

Higher residential densities around ferry terminals

Battersea Power Station RedevelopmentSource: Mission 2015

Battersea Power Station FOD

ReferencesPrado, M 2010, ‘Golden Gate Ferry celebrates 40 years’, Marin Independent Journal, viewed 10 May, http://

www.marinij.com/general-news/20100814/golden-gate-ferry-celebrates-40-years.

Sipe, N & Burke, MI 2011, ‘Can river ferries deliver smart growth? Experience of CityCats in Brisbane, Australia’, Transportation Research

Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board No. 2217, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington

D.C, pp. 79-86.

Soltani, A, Tanko, M, Burke, M & Farid, R 2015, ‘Travel patterns of urban linear ferry passengers: Analysis of smart card fare data for

Brisbane, Australia’, Accepted for publication in Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board.

Thompson, R, Burroughs, R & Smythe, T 2006, ‘Exploring the connections between ferries and urban form: Some considerations before

jumping on board’, Journal of Urban Technology, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 25-52.

Tsai, CH, Mulley, C, Burke, M & Yen, B 2014, ‘Exploring property value effects of ferry terminals: Evidence from Brisbane, Australia’,

Proceedings from the World Society for Transport and Land Use Research, June 24-17, Delft.

Weisbrod, RE & Lawson, CT 2003, ‘Ferry systems: Planning for the revitalization of U.S cities’, Journal of Urban Technology, vol. 10, no. 2,

pp. 47-68.

Thank you

Any questions?

Alicia Ames

a.ames@uq.edu.au