GEORGE TOWN: The iconic ferry service in Penang can only be used by motorcyclists and cyclists starting Jan 1, said Penang Port Commission (SPPP) chairman Tan Teik Cheng.
Tan said ferry services for four-wheeled vehicles would no longer be provided from the said date, which is in line with Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong’s statement on Thursday regarding the service.
“The ferry service operation for motorcycles and bicycles is between Pangkalan Sultan Abdul Halim in Butterworth and Pangkalan Raja Tun Uda on the island.
“Starting Jan 1 too, there will be a ferry service for passengers, namely pedestrians, by using fast ferry boats from Pangkalan Sultan Abdul Halim to the Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal on the island,” he said in a statement today.
He said the use of fast ferry boats and the existing ferries was an interim measure before the introduction of the new ferries, namely “water buses” and “vehicle transporters” on July 1, 2022 or earlier.
Tan said during the interim period, both Pangkalan Sultan Abdul Halim and Pangkalan Raja Tun Uda would be renovated and upgraded to operate new ferries (water buses and vehicle transporters) in order to provide a more efficient ferry service and more comfortable terminals for all users.
“SPPP gives its assurance that the ferry service will not be interrupted even though there are renovation works at both terminals and during the interim period the existing ferry fares will be maintained,” he said.
Meanwhile, Tan said a shuttle bus service to take passengers from the Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal to Pangkalan Raja Tun Uda would be provided free of charge for pedestrians using the fast ferry boats.
“This shuttle bus service is provided free of charge to take passengers who disembark at the Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal to Pangkalan Raja Tun Uda to make it easier for them to get a bus or taxi service to continue their journey.”