Speedier river transport services will soon be docking at several Brisbane River terminals, including that at West End. This, after Lord Mayor Graham Quirk revealed investment of $68 million in the coming year to deliver new SpeedyCat services, expand the CityCat fleet and upgrade a number of ferry terminals.
Cr Quirk said that the 2018-19 budget will help ensure that the council will continue to provide world-class river transport service to locals.
The new SpeedyCat transport will start operating in September 2018, with around 100 new express services each week traversing the river from the University of Queensland and Northshore Hamilton, into the city.
“These new express services will operate during weekday peak periods, saving river commuters up to 24 minutes between Northshore Hamilton and Riverside, while passengers will be able to travel between the University of Queensland and North Quay in as little as 16 minutes,” said Cr Quirk.
“The express services will also stop at the North Quay, Riverside, Apollo Road, Teneriffe, Guyatt Park and West End terminals to boost travel options for residents, so they can spend less time travelling and more time at home with family and friends.”
The council will also allocate $4.5 million for a new generation of larger CityCat to expand the current fleet of 21 ferries.
Another $19.3 million will be spent for the upgrade of terminals, including the Guyatt Park terminal at St Lucia.