The Ministry of Transport is happy with the number of people who took the new fast ferry in the first few days of its operations last week.

The numbers using the ferry Serenity during the two rush hour morning runs from Rockaway in Southampton to Hamilton jumped from 79 on the first day last Tuesday to 189 last Friday.

Government transport programme coordinator Larry Jacobs said this week that it was too early to say whether there had been any noticeable decrease in road traffic from the West End.

Schools were off last week, so it will take some time before the Ministry gets a clearer idea if the ferries are succeeding in tempting commuters off the roads and onto the water.

Mr. Jacobs told The Royal Gazette yesterday: "We are extremely pleased with the results given the fact that it's just been four days, and we are also pleased by how well it has been received by our customers."

The $2.5 million catamaran, which can seat 205 people, had 79 going out on the morning runs at 7.25 a.m. and 8.25 a.m., and 96 returning from Hamilton on the 5.30 p.m. and 6.30 p.m. services last Tuesday.

By Friday, 189 went out and 135 were on the return leg. The Friday 5.30 p.m. service from Hamilton had 99 passengers, meaning the ferry was almost half full.

Mr. Jacobs said he was also pleased with the spread of people using the service from Rockaway on Friday. Some 31 parked their cars, seven came on bikes, 32 caught the free minibus, and 119 were dropped off or walked.

A second catamaran, Resolute, arrives in May, doubling the number of services on the commuter route from Rockaway to Hamilton at rush hour.

Both ferries will also be on the Hamilton to Dockyard to St. George's route.

Mr. Jacobs said this route between the three destinations was popular with visitors, and will provide three trips a day, five days a week.

Last year, there was only one trip a day, twice a week on these routes.

Mr. Jacobs said the Transport Ministry intends to conduct a further study in the next few weeks when the service is well established to get an idea of the travelling patterns.