The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) is calling for feedback on its review of fares for eight private ferry services in Sydney and on the Central Coast and the NSW North Coast.
Tribunal member Sharon Henrick said IPART was setting maximum fares to apply from January 1, 2026, and was interested in hearing from passengers and the wider community.
“We’d like to know whether any increase or decrease in fares would change the way people use private ferries, whether the current fares are seen as good value and how the ferry services compare to alternative transport options” she said.
The private ferry services covered by the review include the Brooklyn Ferry Services – Brooklyn to Dangar Island; Central Coast Ferries – Woy Woy to Empire Bay; Church Point Ferry Service – Scotland Island and western foreshore of Pittwater; and Palm Beach Ferries – Palm Beach to Mackerel Beach and the Basin and Palm Beach to Ettalong and Wagstaffe.
Henrick said in setting maximum prices, IPART would also consult with the operator of each service and consider the efficient costs of running it.
“We will also look at how these costs should be shared between fares paid by passengers and any subsidy paid by taxpayers,” she said.
“People can download the Call for Submissions paper from our website and can give us feedback by making a submission online or completing our passenger survey.”
IPART’s Call for Submissions paper and passenger survey are available from www.ipart.nsw.gov.au.
Submissions and the survey close on August 18.
Stakeholders will also have the opportunity to attend a public hearing and make submissions to a Draft Report with the Final Report and Determination to be provided to the Minister for Transport in November this year.
