Ferry fares to rise

Central Coast Ferries is set to increase its fare prices before the end of January.

Operator Jon Kirk said that fare prices would still be less than the "stipulated fare".

"When we first bought the business, the fares were supposed to increase, but we couldn't increase the fares then or it would have been getting the commuters offside," Mr Kirk said.

Mr Kirk said the fares, which averaged about $5, would increase to around $5.40.

Of the increase, a large percentage would go towards increasing public liability insurance costs which grew by 30 per cent this year.

Mr Kirk said he loved running the ferry service, but that the company was struggling.

"We are a community service and my wife and I love doing it.

"We love boating, but the commuter uptake has been particularly poor," Mr Kirk said.

"Of the 400 or so people that opted for this ferry, we have less than 20 regular commuters, with the rest of the numbers being made up by tourists."

The acting director general of the Ministry of Transport, Mr Mark Duffy, recently accepted Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal's recommendations to permit all private ferry operators to increase their fares by 30 cents pet ticket.

The flat 30 cent per ticket fare increase was in line with Sydney Ferries' fare increase of between 20 and 40 cents a ticket and represented an increase in fares of between 3.8 and 6.7 per cent.

The new fares will be applied from December 12 but Mr Kirk said he would not increase his fares until he had the appropriate documents in front of him.

"We need to bring the fare prices slightly back in line.

"We aren't doing ourselves any favours."

Currently a bus trip to Empire Bay from Woy Woy Station costs $3.60 by bus, while the ferry costs $5.

Lyle Stone, December 8 Press release, November 30 Ministry of Transport