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Search forIt may be fast... but is it fastest?
Thursday, September 25, 2008, 09:28
With the new Stagecoach fast ferry across Torbay carrying its 20,000th passenger and launching a new earlybird ticket scheme, there's one thing we all want to know.
Is it really the fastest way to get across the Bay?
The new ferry has proved popular with holidaymakers and commuters alike during its month-long trial, running between Beacon Quay in Torquay and the fish quay at Brixham.
Operators Stagecoach say they will evaluate the success of the trial with a view to applying to run the service full-time next year.
So what better way to test the ferry's claims than to have a good old-fashioned race across the Bay?
We decided to test the transport system between our head office in Barton Hill Road, Torquay and our district office in King Street, Brixham.
It's a fairly typical commuter journey, with some travelling involved before getting to the ferry and a brisk walk the other side.
We planned four different journeys — a combined bus and ferry ride; a bus ride all the way; a journey by car and an invigorating bike ride.
Here's how it went.
00m 00s: Start the watches. All four journeys begin as the side door of the Barton Hill Road office closes behind them.
05m 00s: Our bloke on a bike, having had a good run of green traffic lights down the Newton Road, is hard on the brakes as some idiot pulls out of the garage on Avenue Road in front of him.
This immediately highlights one of the hazards of the bike journey.
The public transport candidates are ambling down past McDonalds towards the bus stop.
Our driver, having chosen to make the journey via the ring road route, is still waiting to turn right at Shiphay lights.
07m 35s: The ferry and bus passengers arrive at the bus stop outside Focus on the Newton Road after their brisk walk.
The bus is arriving as they get there. They hop on board and pay their fares.
10m 00s: The bloke on a bike is now at the Livermead House Hotel, making good time in the bicycle lane.
The traffic lights at Shiphay are red again, causing ferry man and bus man to glance anxiously at their watches as the number 12 sits motionless.
Our driver is through Gallows Gate and on to the ring road.
16m 15s: Now the ring road bites back, as our driver is stuck in a queue outside Foxhole School, where the Tweenaway traffic begins.
20m 00s: The bloke on a bike is at the Apollo Cinema on Paignton sea-front, still going well despite a headwind. At least it's still dry.
The bus is making its way slowly down through pedestrian-priority Fleet Street.
21m 09s: Ferry man and bus man arrive at The Strand.
Ferry man says his fond farewells and gets off for the walk along the harbourside towards Beacon Quay.
Bus man settles back to enjoy the journey with a KitKat and a copy of the Herald Express.
It's a direct bus route and no troublesome changes are necessary.
25m 00s Bloke on a bike is on the lower stretches of the Col des Trois Plages, the category one climb up from Clennon Valley.
The headwind is still proving to be troublesome and the traffic is heavy.
25m 36s: Ferry man arrives at Beacon Quay to be greeted by smiling BayFast staff.
His timing is perfect. The boat is just leaving and he gets on board.
25m 39s: Our driver finally arrives at the bottom of Kings Ash Hill with blood pressure just about intact.
26m 09s: The bus is at Corbyn Head. Our man is on his second finger of KitKat and has made a good start to the cryptic crossword.
28m 09s: The bloke on a bike is now on the steep bit of the Waterside dual carriageway.
A generous bus and bike lane keeps him safely clear of the traffic.
29m 38s: Out at sea, the ferry zooms past the tug and the barge full of bits of the Napoli.
Our man has paid his fare and is filling in a questionnaire.
30m 00s: The bloke on a bike is perspiring heavily but still going strong at the summit of the Waterside dual carriageway.
If he glanced to his left he would be able to see the fast ferry speeding across the water.
30m 09s: The bus is turning left at Seaway Road. Our man stretches his legs and gets on with the crossword.
34m 21s: Having had a good run through the South Devon College traffic lights, our driver is now waiting at the lights at Windy Corner listening to Terry Wogan.
35m 00s: Having crested the rise at Churston Common, the bloke on a bike now has the wind behind him and is passing Churston Ferrers Grammar School at some speed.
36m 09s: The bus is passing Victoria Park.
37m 00s: There's action out on the road as car and bike meet outside Brokenbury.
Our driver resists the temptation to lean on the horn and contents herself with waving as she overtakes the bike.
38m 00s: The ferry is now throttling back and settling down in the water, ready to enter the outer harbour at Brixham.
However, it has to fall into line behind a big beam trawler making for the quay.
40m 00s: Our bloke on a bike has crested the rise at Lupton House and is zooming around Strawberry Bend.
He's in top gear and it's all downhill from here.
40m 30s: Our driver is at the Bolton Cross traffic lights waiting for the green light.
42m 00s: The lights change and she gets a clear run into the car park where a space appears.
43m 27s: The parking ticket is in the car window, the car is locked, and our driver is on her way to King Street.
43m 40s: Having made her way through the outer harbour observing the strict speed limits, Red Jet 1 ties up alongside the quay at Brixham.
44m 09s: Our bus man, having given up the crossword at 12 down, is watching the world go by at Paignton Bus Station.
44m 57s: Our driver is the first to arrive at the Brixham office.
45m 07s: Our bloke on a bike obeys the signs that bar him from pedestrianised Fore Street, swings around to the left, drops down to the quayside by the Bullers and arrives at Brixham office 10 seconds after the driver.
47m 09s: The bus leaves Paignton Bus Station, and our man in the comfy seat goes for the third finger of his KitKat.
48m 14s: Having alighted on the quay and enjoyed a brisk walk along the quayside and past the Golden Hind, our ferry man arrives to join the throng at the Brixham office.
50m 09s: The bus is at Clennon Valley.
56m 09s The bus is at Windy Corner.
58m 09s: The bus is at Churston Ferrers Grammar School, and the last finger of KitKat is gone.
60m 09s: The bus is at Strawberry Bend, and the penny has dropped on 12 down — 'A liking for a swansong', eight letters. It's 'penchant'.
64m 09s: The bus arrives at Brixham Bus Station, and our man stretches his legs again, thanks the driver and sets off for the office, arriving at... 69m 09s.
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