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

(The Minister for Transport, John Robertson, announced ~ 6 August 2010 that ferry services to Mosman and Neutral Bay would be reduced to divert resources to Parramatta River services.)

Action for Public Transport says there are private ferries available for hire from other Australian cities, sufficient to maintain existing Sydney Harbour services.

"These vessels could be brought to Sydney within a week", says APT's ferry spokesman, Graeme Taylor. "All it needs is a bit of planning" Mr Taylor says. "If the minister had the will, it could be arranged almost overnight" he says.

The state government would not have dared to disrupt the commuting habits of motorists, in the way it has those of public transport users, so close to a state election, Mr Taylor said.

"In the longer term, the fate of the cross-harbour ferry services is in the hands of the voters" Mr Taylor says. "The ferries presently serve safe Liberal seats". "If a few thousand voters changed their preferences, a whole lot of government services would then flow to the newly marginal electorates" Mr Taylor says.

Contacts:	Jim Donovan	0428-609-208 or 9416-8459
	Graeme Taylor	9909-1260
	Kevin Eadie	9819_6052