NEWS RELEASE: Circular Quay Ferry Passengers
<center><h3>RELIEF FOR SUMMER FERRY CROWDS</h3></center>

New ticket selling and passenger control arrangements trialled at Circular
Quay last weekend should prevent a recurrence of the chaos that confronted
ferry passengers last Christmas, according to the consumer group, Action for
Public Transport.

A spokesman for APT, Allan Miles, said that additional facilities include
fixed and moveable barriers and queuing races as well as large direction
signs. These are mainly for people using the more popular Manly and Taronga
Zoo ferries. "Manly ferries are also running every 20 minutes to clear the
crowds," Mr Miles said.

During the 2003/04 holiday season, huge crowds caused congestion,
inconvenience, and public safety issues at the Circular Quay transport
interchange. Media coverage was intense, and comments were scathing.

This year, action has been taken to avoid a repeat of the 2003 chaos, Mr
Miles said. Among the many authorities involved are CityRail, City of
Sydney, Sydney Ferries Corporation (SFC), Sydney Harbour Foreshores
Authority, Roads & Traffic Authority and NSW Police. "Co-operation between
all of these is essential for good signage and passenger flow," Mr Miles
said. "It only takes one person to stop and ponder which direction to take
and a hundred other people in the flow behind can be delayed."

Mr Miles said that newspaper and radio ads have also urged people to buy
tickets before they get to Circular Quay. "The DayTripper at $15 is a
bargain" Mr Miles said. "A return ferry ticket to Manly is now $12, and a
DayTripper covers travel on buses, trains and ferries." DayTripper tickets
can be bought from bus drivers and railway stations.

Mr Miles said that FerryTen tickets are also useful. "FerryTen tickets give
ten trips at a reduced price, and the one ticket can be used by each member
of a family or group passing through the turnstiles," he said.

While inspecting the new arrangements last Saturday, APT suggested some
further improvements to Sydney Ferries management, Mr Miles said, and he
hoped these would be considered.

Meanwhile, at the other end of town, holiday bus travellers at Railway
Square are still frustrated by an information booth that keeps office hours,
remains shut at weekends, and doesn't sell tickets.

<b>Contact</b>: Allan Miles 9516-1906