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Auckland Transport responded positively to the local board’s plea on behalf of residents for a weekend ferry service from Gulf Harbour to and from the city, however funding is the next hurdle to overcome.
Last month Hibiscus & Bays Local Board members met Auckland Transport’s chief metro officer, Mark Lambert to discuss demand for weekend ferry sailings which included presenting the findings of a recent survey (HM April 12).
Local board chair Julia Parfitt said that they got “a favourable hearing” and that AT will come back with a proposal.
In a recent report to the local board, AT says that the significant increase in ferry sailings, which started last October, had so far only delivered a real increase in patronage of around 5–7 percent, which was not as high as anticipated.
However, the report says that AT has requested prices for a further increase in weekday services, as well as an option of weekend services as part of its current contract tendering process. It points out that this process will provide an insight into the likely cost of weekend service provision.
Mrs Parfitt says that the board will need to put forward a strong case for funding, which is likely to come from a contestable pool.
