Could Sydney-style water taxis come to Portsmouth?
For those living near harbours in the South of England, the idea of calling a water taxi to get to work or home from a night out could soon be a reality.The idea was the subject of a summit last week involving politicians, ferry providers, business leaders and experts in marine technology.The event at the Portsmouth's historic dockyard heard the system could work on an "on-demand" basis, like Uber, or on a scheduled timetable, and could be key to helping alleviate some of the South's traffic congestion.But ferry operators warned that public subsidies would be needed to get services off the ground and encourage people out of their car.
The event was organised by Dame Caroline Dinenage, MP for Gosport, who said she wanted to hear the "art of the possible" and mimic cities like Sydney in Australia, which use water taxis for commuting and leisure.Speaking afterwards she said: "There's a definite enthusiasm to get things up and running to make the most of the water we have here. Everybody in one room helped see what the opportunities and obstacles are."
Supporters of the idea included the operators of Gunwharf Quays, Hampshire chamber of commerce and Business South who said it could help encourage economic growth.
But some of ferry operators at the summit said it was a challenge to change mindsets, to get people onto boats and out of cars, particularly outside of the summer months. The operator of the overnight ferry connecting Portsmouth and Gosport stopped sailings in February due to a lack of demand. Many in the industry said a change in government policy was needed too.There are government grants to support public transport - like bus service improvement plans (BSIP) and the move back to public ownership for trains - but no such financial support exists in England for the maritime sector.Lee Rayment, owner of Blue Funnel Cruises, said: "Scottish ferries are subsidised, the ferries which cross Sydney harbour get financial support and there's been grants to the Thames clippers in London, but down here on the South Coast, there's nothing we can apply for, that's frustrating."Many in the room said public subsidies were needed while the service was in its infancy as the "passengers won't come instantly".In response, Caroline Dinenage said political backing was key as well as business support.
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