Drivers would spend 65% less time queuing for the Gozo ferry if online tickets were introduced, Infrastructure Malta’s CEO has claimed.
Writing on his personal Facebook page, Ivan Falzon said it was “time to act” and allow passengers to pre-book their slot.
“Remember, today you’re queuing blindly, an online ticketing platform will change that,” the Gozitan wrote. “Once you have a ticket, you’re guaranteed a ferry in the next 15-30mins.”
His comments come after Gozo Channel struggled to keep up with demand for trips to Għarb for the annual Kite and Wind festival over the weekend. Some passengers reported queues on the Malta side extending from the Popeye Village turnoff to Ċirkewwa port.
Falzon, who has long campaigned for an online ticketing system, argued that, while there may still be a bottleneck as passengers wait to board, demand would be spread across the schedule.
“An online ticketing system for Gozo Channel can eliminate up to 65% of queueing time. Not mentioning other benefits,” he wrote.
He pointed to the example of the passenger-only fast ferry – Gozo Highspeed – which he said had “no issues whatsoever” with its hybrid online and in-person booking system.
An online system would also allow the ferry service to build a database of its frequent users which may help entice future use of the service, he argued.
In January, Gozo Channel introduced an online ticketing system – but only to frequent ferry users who own Gozo Channel Daily Commuter cards, tour operators and some government workers.
Ministry plans to bring system 'to all customers'
The Gozo ministry said it plans to bring the online booking system to all customers and allow for tickets and travel cards to be bought or topped up online.
Gozo Channel said the second phase would be introduced later this year while the ministry spokesperson said that more information will be communicated “in the near future”.
However, Gozo Business Chamber CEO Daniel Borg said an online system would not solve the issue of lengthy queues.
“I believe the problem – for example what occurred last weekend – should not be pinned down simply to the absence of an electronic ticketing system but to far wider problems and limitations that the island has,” he said.
He said the Mġarr port is too small as it is not just the ferry that uses the space but also yachts, fishing vessels and the military.
Exacerbating the problem is the single road leading from Mġarr port to the island, which, due to the high amount of traffic seen on Sunday, forced the police to clear parked cars to have an extra lane.
Other long-term considerations should be thought about, such as Gozo Channel’s fleet and whether new ferries will be introduced, he said.
“[I]t would be fruitless if we see [online booking] as the only solution and do not consider the other issues, such as the access points in Mġarr and Ċirkewwa, the ageing Gozo Channel fleet and the fast ferry service.”
Borg also noted that a hybrid system may create new issues, such as people buying tickets from a booth at the ferry’s port only to find out that it was already fully booked online.