11/08/2008

• Four-week evaluation of potential service between Torquay and Brixham
• 138-seat catamaran to be chartered for innovative public transport project
• Bayfast service will offer passengers four-mile crossing in just 15 minutes
• Booking system put in place to make travel easier for regular commuters

Stagecoach is to trial a new fast ferry service in the south west of England in a major boost for local transport and tourism, it was announced today.

A 138-seat catamaran will carry passengers between Torquay and Brixham in Devon from 29 August to 27 September to test the potential for a permanent link.

The £200,000 trial is being organised in partnership with Torbay Council, which is also the local harbour authority. The Bayfast-branded venture will provide up to 15 return trips a day, with services also operating at the weekend.

Customers can find full details about the service online at www.stagecoachbus.com/devon. Tickets go on sale from the Stagecoach Travel Shop on Victoria Parade, Torquay, from Friday 22 August.

Bayfast will significantly improve journey times for people travelling across Torbay Harbour between Torquay and Brixham, with a fast crossing time of just 15 minutes.

Stagecoach’s 12/12a bus service, which carries 4.5 million passengers a year, is currently the only public transport link between the two locations. However, due to road congestion, the journey time between Torquay and Brixham is normally 42 minutes and up to 90 minutes in the summer tourist season.

Brian Souter, Chief Executive of Stagecoach Group, said: “This is an exciting new transport link that will provide a real boost for commuters and tourists in Torbay. The fast ferry is up to six times quicker than current land-based alternatives and is a greener, smarter travel option than the car.

“Britain’s waterways and estuaries are an under-used resource and the trial will help us test the potential long-term demand for a permanent link. We look forward to giving people a chance to see the benefits a fast ferry could bring to the region's communities, economy and public transport system.”

Mayor Nick Bye, of Torbay Council, said: “A fast ferry service will be a great way of getting across the Bay and making the most of what is our greatest asset.

“The distance by sea is little more than four miles from Torquay to Brixham, whereas by road it is over nine miles. It makes sense to go by sea, saving time, reducing congestion and avoiding all the hassles of parking. I am sure that it will also provide a real boost to both towns’ economies.”

Councillor Nicole Amil Vice Chair of the Bay’s Harbour Committee, said: “This is an excellent opportunity to examine all of the issues surrounding the introduction of a fast ferry across the Bay.

“I am confident that this type of operation will be compatible with existing uses of the harbour and we will continue to work closely with Stagecoach and the vessel operator throughout the trial period.”

Fares for the ferry service will be £4 single and £6 return. Prices for senior citizens will be £3 and £5, while child fares will be £2.50 and £4.50. A weekly megarider ticket will be available for commuters, priced at £25. Stagecoach Dayrider bus ticket holders can also use the ferry for a supplement of £2.

Bayfast will be timetabled to provide early and late services to cater for Torbay’s commuters, as well as shoppers and tourists. The first weekday service will be at 0650 from Brixham, with the last ferry from Torquay as late as 1950 based on demand. A booking system will make travel easier for regular commuters, allowing them to reserve a place on a specific crossing up to 24-hours in advance.

Stagecoach will use a 32-metre RedJet 1 catamaran on charter from Southampton-based company Red Funnel, which has been operating fast ferry services across the Solent for 40 years. The vessel will be crewed by Red Funnel’s experienced fast ferry officers and crew.

Existing harbour facilities will be used at Torquay and Brixham to accommodate the craft, which can operate at speeds of up to 30 knots. A 28-seat bus shuttle link will give passengers arriving in Torquay at Beacon Quay access to the main bus stops on the parade.

Last year, Stagecoach carried out a trial cross-Forth hovercraft service in Scotland, which attracted 32,000 passengers over two weeks. The company has proposed a permanent link between Fife and Edinburgh using a 150-passenger craft with a crossing time of just 20 minutes.

Stagecoach Group has offered to invest more than £10million to make the cross-Forth project a reality, with limited short-term public sector support of around £3.3million to bridge the gap in the first three years to reach the point where it became commercially viable.

ENDS

For media enquiries or to arrange broadcast interviews, please contact:

Steve Stewart, Director of Corporate Communications, Stagecoach Group
T: 01738 442111 (office) or 07764 774680 (mobile)
E:steven.stewart@stagecoachgroup.com

Richard Stevens, Operations Director, Stagecoach Devon
T: 07803 888 676 (mobile)

Nicola Moorhouse, Communications Officer, Torbay Council
T: 01803 208850
E:nicola.moorhouse@torbay.gov.uk

MORE

NOTES TO EDITORS

• Stagecoach Group is a leading international public transport company with bus and rail operations in the UK and North America. The Group employs around 30,000 people and runs around 12,000 buses and trains.
• In Devon, Stagecoach employs more than 900 people and operates around 300 buses in and around Exeter, Torbay, Newton Abbot, Barnstaple, Bideford, Exmouth, and Sidmouth.
• An image of the RedJet 1 catamaran is available in jpg format on request.