Action for Public Transport (N.S.W.) Inc.

NEWS RELEASE: Government Must Retain Control of Sydney Ferries

posted Tuesday 21 October 2008

A transport consumer group has warned that a complete sell-off of Sydney's ferries could be disastrous for commuters. Allan Miles, spokesman for Action for Public Transport, said that regardless of who actually runs the ferries, the Government must maintain control of the operations. "Ferry timetables and fares must not be yielded to private operators," he said, "who would pick the eyes out of the services, and abandon users of low patronage runs to the wind and waves." Mr Miles said that the contract system for private buses was working fairly well, and any ferry privatisation could use this model as a starting point. "In any new scheme," he said, "the Government should determine routes, frequencies, vessel standards and fares. "All revenue would go to the Government, who would pay the ferry operators according to their contract."

However, Mr Miles said that the maritime skills required to run a ferry fleet are not so readily available as the skills needed to run a bus company. "Most of the expertise required is already at Circular Quay," he said, "and finding alternatives could be difficult and costly." Mr Miles said that cutting the ferries adrift from Government control could threaten co-ordinated timetables with buses and the TravelPass system of integrated fares and tickets. "We cannot allow further disintegration of Sydney's public transport system," he said. "All ferry services, including the existing privately owned runs, should be included in any new package," Mr Miles said. "The opportunity could be taken to create a new marketing name for the whole system." "Passengers should not have to know the name of the ferry operator before making enquiries about timetables and routes," he said.

Contact: Allan Miles 9516-1906
Graeme Taylor 9248-1637

Contact:	Allan Miles	9516-1906
	Graeme Taylor	9248-1637

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