Posted by: The X Factor, Glasgow on 11:02am Mon 3 Mar 08
The wee ferries that run just now go at times that are no use for commuters. A ferry from gourock, greenock helensburgh at 8 am or so would relieve a lot of road traffic.
probably
The wee ferries that run just now go at times that are no use for commuters. A ferry from gourock, greenock helensburgh at 8 am or so would relieve a lot of road traffic.
probably
Posted by: martin, Glasgow on 11:12am Mon 3 Mar 08
This will only work if the service is reliable and at a competative price.
This will only work if the service is reliable and at a competative price.
Posted by: I hear your pain, me,me,me on 1:04pm Mon 3 Mar 08
As long as Calmac aint running them because at present they go off for the slightest thing..Western Feries on the other hand provide a service in all weathers & dont stop running at 8pm as Calmac does
As long as Calmac aint running them because at present they go off for the slightest thing..Western Feries on the other hand provide a service in all weathers & dont stop running at 8pm as Calmac does
Posted by: Meep, Shawlands on 1:10pm Mon 3 Mar 08
To seperate issues here:1:- Cly[bold]Dredging of the[/bold] [bold]Clyde[/bold] . The Clyde needs serious dredging before allowing a regualr berthing so close to the broomilaw/City Centre. 2: [bold]Hydrofoil[/bold] : The ferry would need to be big and quick enough to be viable. Only a Hydrofoil service would be able to do that.
To seperate issues here:1:- Cly
Dredging of the Clyde . The Clyde needs serious dredging before allowing a regualr berthing so close to the broomilaw/City Centre. 2:
Hydrofoil : The ferry would need to be big and quick enough to be viable. Only a Hydrofoil service would be able to do that.
Posted by: eastenddude, Glasgow on 1:37pm Mon 3 Mar 08
I was in Boston in October, they run a water taxi service. Small boats which hold a max of 10 people. You goto the taxi points press the button and tell them were your going, the dispatcher then confirms how long your wait will be. No schedules and on demand, far better service plus smaller watercraft. Way to go I feel, would suit the clyde perfectly.
I was in Boston in October, they run a water taxi service. Small boats which hold a max of 10 people. You goto the taxi points press the button and tell them were your going, the dispatcher then confirms how long your wait will be. No schedules and on demand, far better service plus smaller watercraft. Way to go I feel, would suit the clyde perfectly.
Posted by: smarticus, Glasgow on 2:17pm Mon 3 Mar 08
If I remember right a private operator looked into running a similar river taxi service from Gourock to Glasgow a few years ago. He scrapped the plans because of the squiggly bridge as the boats he was going to use were too high to get under it and into the city centre. Before the council spend the citizens money on another lame duck study why not just phone the operator of the former Braehead Shopping Centre to Clyde Street ferry service and ask him how profitable his service was before it folded. This will just be another waste of taxpayers money.
If I remember right a private operator looked into running a similar river taxi service from Gourock to Glasgow a few years ago. He scrapped the plans because of the squiggly bridge as the boats he was going to use were too high to get under it and into the city centre. Before the council spend the citizens money on another lame duck study why not just phone the operator of the former Braehead Shopping Centre to Clyde Street ferry service and ask him how profitable his service was before it folded. This will just be another waste of taxpayers money.
Posted by: George Brown, glasgow on 3:40pm Mon 3 Mar 08
don't they ever learn? or is it a case that GCC on the whiff of an idea, with some academic degree of irresponsibility chuck oversubscribed tax payers money about about with such gay abandon
steamers have sailed up and down the clyde since before I was born and I am willing to bet that all the companies didn't just decide to stop trading just to please themselves
two most recent ventures highlight the obvious
problems , that is the Waverley I would very much like a trip on it for old times sake but being a pensioner can't afford the cost of a trip
I used to enjoy regular return trips on the ferry from Braehead to the city but again, I was eventually out priced
as with previous enterprises cost of service provision plays a major part on the success or failure of this latest wheeze and I suggest that if GCC want to promote it, the money should come straight from the architect of the idea before they lampoon the punters
don't they ever learn? or is it a case that GCC on the whiff of an idea, with some academic degree of irresponsibility chuck oversubscribed tax payers money about about with such gay abandon
steamers have sailed up and down the clyde since before I was born and I am willing to bet that all the companies didn't just decide to stop trading just to please themselves
two most recent ventures highlight the obvious
problems , that is the Waverley I would very much like a trip on it for old times sake but being a pensioner can't afford the cost of a trip
I used to enjoy regular return trips on the ferry from Braehead to the city but again, I was eventually out priced
as with previous enterprises cost of service provision plays a major part on the success or failure of this latest wheeze and I suggest that if GCC want to promote it, the money should come straight from the architect of the idea before they lampoon the punters
Posted by: George Brown, glasgow on 3:48pm Mon 3 Mar 08
as an after thought, why not do as the Piazza in Paisley lay a concrete platform along the length of the river
this would eliminate the need for collapsible bridges, and tunnel conjestion, I don't think we would miss the river since mr public is being denied access to it, through building sites and other various premises
as an after thought, why not do as the Piazza in Paisley lay a concrete platform along the length of the river
this would eliminate the need for collapsible bridges, and tunnel conjestion, I don't think we would miss the river since mr public is being denied access to it, through building sites and other various premises
Posted by: Buddie, Paisley on 3:55pm Mon 3 Mar 08
George Brown, building the Piazza over the Cart in Paisley was the beginning of the end for the town, it has been downhill all the way ever since.A river is an asset to any town,if used properly.
George Brown, building the Piazza over the Cart in Paisley was the beginning of the end for the town, it has been downhill all the way ever since.A river is an asset to any town,if used properly.
Posted by: steviebhoy, johnstone on 4:08pm Mon 3 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Meep[/bold] wrote:
To seperate issues here:1:- Cly[bold]Dredging of the[/bold] [bold]Clyde[/bold] . The Clyde needs serious dredging before allowing a regualr berthing so close to the broomilaw/City Centre. 2: [bold]Hydrofoil[/bold] : The ferry would need to be big and quick enough to be viable. Only a Hydrofoil service would be able to do that.[/quote] Sorry Meep but you are way off the mark. The boats to be used for the proposed service are rigid inflatable with a fibreglass cover (approx 20 feet long). They are very fast, have very little draught(amount of boat under the water for the non-mariners) and are low enough to fit under all the bridges.
Therefore, the river will not require any dredging.
Hydrofoils are completely unfeasible, too high out of the water and the distance between stops would be too short to get the hydrofoils up to full speed.
Glasgow is crying out for a service like this. They are booming in the likes of Sydney, New York, Auckland etc.
I also agree with Buddie, A river is the life of a town or city and should flourish. The Piazza covering the Cart in Paisley killed the town centre. That stretch of river became a dark, rat/pigeon colony and home to many shopping trolleys.
Meep wrote:
To seperate issues here:1:- ClyDredging of the Clyde . The Clyde needs serious dredging before allowing a regualr berthing so close to the broomilaw/City Centre. 2: Hydrofoil : The ferry would need to be big and quick enough to be viable. Only a Hydrofoil service would be able to do that.
Sorry Meep but you are way off the mark. The boats to be used for the proposed service are rigid inflatable with a fibreglass cover (approx 20 feet long). They are very fast, have very little draught(amount of boat under the water for the non-mariners) and are low enough to fit under all the bridges.
Therefore, the river will not require any dredging.
Hydrofoils are completely unfeasible, too high out of the water and the distance between stops would be too short to get the hydrofoils up to full speed.
Glasgow is crying out for a service like this. They are booming in the likes of Sydney, New York, Auckland etc.
I also agree with Buddie, A river is the life of a town or city and should flourish. The Piazza covering the Cart in Paisley killed the town centre. That stretch of river became a dark, rat/pigeon colony and home to many shopping trolleys.
Posted by: Eh?, Glasgow on 4:34pm Mon 3 Mar 08
I've lived in two cities with ferries, Hong Kong and Sydney and have travelled through numerous cities that use boats as public transport. The one feature they all share is they are heavily subsidised to encourage use. Private busness will not make a profit and thus will not do it. Unfortunatly the councils will have to back these services with subsidies. Without it it will fail. However, think of teh benefits to Glasgow and the surroundinga reas less cars less pollution and less commuters stressed in teh rush hour. Seems like a good trade off to me. Lets hope it's not just another consultation and they actually do something this time
I've lived in two cities with ferries, Hong Kong and Sydney and have travelled through numerous cities that use boats as public transport. The one feature they all share is they are heavily subsidised to encourage use. Private busness will not make a profit and thus will not do it. Unfortunatly the councils will have to back these services with subsidies. Without it it will fail. However, think of teh benefits to Glasgow and the surroundinga reas less cars less pollution and less commuters stressed in teh rush hour. Seems like a good trade off to me. Lets hope it's not just another consultation and they actually do something this time
Posted by: Andrew Stephen on 4:52pm Mon 3 Mar 08
[quote][bold]The X Factor[/bold] wrote:
The wee ferries that run just now go at times that are no use for commuters. A ferry from gourock, greenock helensburgh at 8 am or so would relieve a lot of road traffic. probably [/quote] Agreed. I arrived in Helensurgh at about 11.30 last Tuesday and decided to sample the new Kilgreggan ferry to Gourock. One had left at 10.50 AND THE NEXT AND ONLY OTHER ONE OF THE DAY was at 15.00. It would have actually been quicker to go by train via Partick & Glasgow Central so I'll wait until the summer before I sample the ferry at 15.00
The X Factor wrote:
The wee ferries that run just now go at times that are no use for commuters. A ferry from gourock, greenock helensburgh at 8 am or so would relieve a lot of road traffic. probably
Agreed. I arrived in Helensurgh at about 11.30 last Tuesday and decided to sample the new Kilgreggan ferry to Gourock. One had left at 10.50 AND THE NEXT AND ONLY OTHER ONE OF THE DAY was at 15.00. It would have actually been quicker to go by train via Partick & Glasgow Central so I'll wait until the summer before I sample the ferry at 15.00
Posted by: flyingscot, Crookston on 7:59pm Mon 3 Mar 08
Well a Squinty Bridge put the operator of the Clyde Waterbus out of business. It also stops high boats navigating along the river. Perhaps it will fall down and solve the problem. Good idea, but why not fund combined travel cards and publicly run buses, subway, ferries and trains.
Well a Squinty Bridge put the operator of the Clyde Waterbus out of business. It also stops high boats navigating along the river. Perhaps it will fall down and solve the problem. Good idea, but why not fund combined travel cards and publicly run buses, subway, ferries and trains.
Posted by: People Power, Glasgow on 10:06pm Mon 3 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Meep[/bold] wrote:
To seperate issues here:1:- Cly[bold]Dredging of the[/bold] [bold]Clyde[/bold] . The Clyde needs serious dredging before allowing a regualr berthing so close to the broomilaw/City Centre. 2: [bold]Hydrofoil[/bold] : The ferry would need to be big and quick enough to be viable. Only a Hydrofoil service would be able to do that.[/quote]
Fully agree here Meep,
I just think that when we see the banks of the Clyde developed at such a fast rate the way the river Clyde is left to rot and ruin, with no transport along it is a sad reflection on our city.
Our river and its shopyards may be far less buoyant and full of life than it once was in its heyday!
But this must change, and when the new Transport Museum opens - combined with the Maritime Museum at Braehead on the Clyde the need to link up both by river will make even more sense!
Yes it will need to be sustainable, affordable and a well promoted - accepted form of transport. All that takes time!
Anything to see people opt for transport along the river - in place of their cars / buses.
Meep wrote:
To seperate issues here:1:- ClyDredging of the Clyde . The Clyde needs serious dredging before allowing a regualr berthing so close to the broomilaw/City Centre. 2: Hydrofoil : The ferry would need to be big and quick enough to be viable. Only a Hydrofoil service would be able to do that.
Fully agree here Meep,
I just think that when we see the banks of the Clyde developed at such a fast rate the way the river Clyde is left to rot and ruin, with no transport along it is a sad reflection on our city.
Our river and its shopyards may be far less buoyant and full of life than it once was in its heyday!
But this must change, and when the new Transport Museum opens - combined with the Maritime Museum at Braehead on the Clyde the need to link up both by river will make even more sense!
Yes it will need to be sustainable, affordable and a well promoted - accepted form of transport. All that takes time!
Anything to see people opt for transport along the river - in place of their cars / buses.
Posted by: People Power, Glasgow on 10:08pm Mon 3 Mar 08
Slip of the finger, ( rather than the tongue!) meant "Shipyards" - LOL!
Slip of the finger, ( rather than the tongue!) meant "Shipyards" - LOL!
Posted by: absent_not_vacant, London on 4:42pm Tue 4 Mar 08
Glasgow needs to do something with its river. I'm incredulous that nothing is ever successful. Its not rocket science, and almost every city that I've visited that has a decent sized river or navigable waterway has thriving activities going on there. Bristol, London, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Venice, Florence, San Sebastian (I could go on for pages).
Glasgow needs to do something with its river. I'm incredulous that nothing is ever successful. Its not rocket science, and almost every city that I've visited that has a decent sized river or navigable waterway has thriving activities going on there. Bristol, London, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Venice, Florence, San Sebastian (I could go on for pages).
Posted by: ferryman, Greenock on 7:01pm Wed 5 Mar 08
[quote][bold]I hear your pain[/bold] wrote:
As long as Calmac aint running them because at present they go off for the slightest thing..Western Feries on the other hand provide a service in all weathers & dont stop running at 8pm as Calmac does[/quote] Sorry but your comment is unfair and misleading. During the bad weather in the past 2 weeks, Western Ferries were off a few times, so it's just not CalMac who had no choice but to cancel sailings in bad weather. The decision [to cancel sailings] would have been made in the best interest of both passengers and ferry crew's safety.
Having said that, I don't think neither CalMac or Western Ferries should run the water taxi service. CalMac has no suitable vessels and Western Ferries are only interested in making a profit.
Perhaps the service should be operated by Strathclyde Passenger Transport (SPT) as part of the "joined-up public transport" strategy.
I hear your pain wrote:
As long as Calmac aint running them because at present they go off for the slightest thing..Western Feries on the other hand provide a service in all weathers & dont stop running at 8pm as Calmac does
Sorry but your comment is unfair and misleading. During the bad weather in the past 2 weeks, Western Ferries were off a few times, so it's just not CalMac who had no choice but to cancel sailings in bad weather. The decision would have been made in the best interest of both passengers and ferry crew's safety.
Having said that, I don't think neither CalMac or Western Ferries should run the water taxi service. CalMac has no suitable vessels and Western Ferries are only interested in making a profit.
Perhaps the service should be operated by Strathclyde Passenger Transport (SPT) as part of the "joined-up public transport" strategy.
Comment | Read Comments (17)
