The Westgate Punt, which ferries western suburbs cyclists across the low end of the Yarra River each day, has been spared the boot after a government review found patronage is growing.
The Napthine government committed $1.4 million over four years to the punt service, with an option to kill it off after two years if usage was deemed too low.
But a review found patronage had risen this year to an average 103 passengers a day, up from 72 a day last year, with a total of more than 40,000 boardings since the service returned in October, 2011.
The punt crosses the river between Spotswood and Fishermans Bend, running to a 20-minute timetable in the peak on weekdays and on demand on weekends. It is the only cycle route between the city and the western suburbs south of Footscray Road. It carries up to 12 cyclists and costs $2 per ride.
Regular punt user Katie Murphy, who lives in Williamstown and works in Richmond, said it had made cycling to work viable for her.
”If the punt wasn’t there, then it would be a long detour down Footscray Road and so on and I definitely would not [ride],” Ms Murphy said. Footscray Road, with its heavy truck traffic, made her feel unsafe. ”Some of the aspects of that route, you’ve got your heart in your mouth when you’re cycling,” she said. But the punt is a pleasure.
”It’s just pleasant to be out on the water on your way to work,” Ms Murphy said, although on some occasions she had found there were more cyclists than spots, forcing her to wait for the next service.
The Greens, who campaigned for the punt’s return after the weekday service was cancelled in 2006, said its comeback had been a ”great success”.
Colleen Hartland, Greens MP for the western suburbs, said it was a reliable, healthy alternative to driving over the West Gate Bridge.
”It proves that when you provide good infrastructure for cyclists, it gets used. Every bike is one less car and that’s good for traffic congestion, air quality and our health,” she said.
But cycling group Bicycle Network Victoria said the punt was not being used as heavily it could be because of a lack of connecting bike paths.
Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder said a recent survey of cyclists found the punt was highly valued.
”More than 96 per cent of passengers said they were either satisfied or very satisfied with the service and this is clearly demonstrated by the growing popularity.”
But the opposition said the Napthine government’s generous support for the punt contrasted with its miserly spending on other cycling projects.
Acting public transport spokesman Richard Wynne said: ”While this project may be welcome by cyclists, the fact is the Napthine government has slashed the tyres when it comes to investment in Victoria’s bike networks, ripping tens of millions of dollars from the state budget since 2010.”
