State Government fails to provide public ferry services for Inner West
Tuesday, 15 October 2019
Inner West Mayor Darcy has slammed the announcement by Transport Minister Andrew Constance and State Member for Balmain Jamie Parker of a new private ferry service to Glebe, saying the service will be too expensive and unreliable for commuters to use.
“Liberal Transport Minister Andrew Constance and Greens local member Jamie Parker MP have come together to announce a six month trial of an ‘on demand’ private ferry service to Glebe only,” said Mayor Byrne.
“Trials of on-demand bus services have been a hopeless failure for the obvious reason that when it costs about as much as an Uber, no-one uses it,” he said.
“This private ferry service will have the same problem – it’ll be too expensive and unreliable. Maybe it's a solution for very wealthy people, but what about the public at large?
“I cannot fathom why the Transport Minister and the local member would think this the best solution to the public transport issues facing our community.
“This is the Minister’s worst ferry decision since his ‘captain’s call’ to rename the Emerald 6 vessel Ferry McFerry Face last year.”
Mayor Byrne also criticised Balmain MP Jamie Parker for failing to follow through on an election promise of providing new public ferry services in the Inner West.
“What ever happened to the new public ferry service we were promised at the election? Mr Parker should have delivered on what he promised, new public ferry services to Annandale and the reinstatement of the Elliott Street Wharf in West Balmain.”
Starting this week, the on-demand ferry will stop at Sydney Fish Market, Blackwattle Bay Park, Pyrmont’s Pirrama Park and Barangaroo.
For further information, please contact John Roper on 0435 963 787.