13/10/2008

• 82% of passengers surveyed likely to use fast ferry in the future
• Users praise speed, comfort and safety of pilot service
• Nearly 50% of passengers previously used car or motorcycle

A survey has shown that eight out of ten passengers who used the Stagecoach fast ferry pilot in Torbay and Devon would be likely to use it again.

82% of respondents said they would be ‘very likely or quite likely’ to use the service in the future.

Market research also shows that those surveyed rated the overall standard of the journey as ‘very good’ and gave all aspects of the service a mark of 8 or above out of 10, including comfort, safety, cost, frequency and location of departure points.

And of those who used the fast ferry, 47% said they would normally have made the journey by car or motorcycle.

The market research was carried out by Power Marketing on a sample of 2428 passengers. All had used the fast ferry across Torbay between Torquay and Brixham during the pilot between 29 August and 28 September.

Stagecoach currently provides the only public transport link between Torquay and Brixham – a bus service which carries 4.5million passengers a year. Of the people surveyed, 40% said they would normally make the journey by bus.

The fast ferry trial used a 138-seat RedJet1 catamaran which provided journeys up to six times faster than the current road-based links.

The research shows that 81% of respondents cited the quick travel time as the main reason they would use the service again in the future. 58% said the main reason to return was down to comfort, 46% said convenience was a major factor and 31% cited safety as a main benefit. 25% of those surveyed said they would use the fast ferry in future because it is an environmentally friendly way to travel.

Richard Stevens, Operations Director at Stagecoach Devon, said: “These survey results show that the response to the fast ferry trial – from a mixture of commuters and leisure passengers - was extremely positive. It’s very pleasing to see that those surveyed were impressed by the speed, safety and comfort of the service and it’s extremely encouraging that a quarter of those who said they would use the crossing in the future did so because of environmental reasons.

“There is no doubt that the fast ferry is a greener, smarter travel option than the car and we’re delighted with the user numbers during the pilot and the feedback we have received from passengers. Another very pleasing spin-off of the trial was the positive impact the fast ferry had on local businesses and tourism in the area.”

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

• A total of 29,800 passengers used the fast ferry during the trial period.
• The Bayfast service was operated using a 32-metre 138-seat RedJet 1 catamaran, on charter from Southampton-based company Red Funnel.
• 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.
• A photo of the fast ferry is available on request

For further information contact:

Lindsay Reid
Corporate Communications Manager
Stagecoach Group
10 Dunkeld Road
Perth
PH1 5TW
Phone: 01738 442111
Fax: 01738 443076
Mobile: 07500 446896
email: lindsay.reid@stagecoachgroup.com