KEY POINTS:
Auckland's public transport agency says it will call for tenders this week for emergency ferry services for Half Moon Bay and Bayswater, after a withdrawal threat by established operator Fullers.
The Auckland Regional Transport Authority and about 800 daily passengers are under 90 days' notice from the company
of its intention to withdraw from the two routes, following a breakdown a fortnight ago in negotiations for new subsidised contracts.
Authority spokeswoman Sharon Hunter said her organisation made an early approach to ferry operators - including Fullers - the day after receiving the withdrawal notice and would be seeking firm proposals from them this week for services after mid-January.
"ARTA is committed to providing ferry services to these destinations at the end of the 90-day notice period," she said.
Half Moon Bay ferry users group chairwoman Cheryl Williams said last night that although it was trying to be careful not to take sides, it feared any replacement of the established operator would cause difficulties for passengers.
The group was due to meet the transport authority tomorrow to emphasise a need to maintain a high standard of service for the 400 or so passengers who used the Half Moon Bay ferries each day.
"Otherwise we are going to have another 400 cars on the road," she said.
Mrs Williams said road trips between Half Moon Bay and Auckland could take anything from 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, depending on traffic congestion, compared with the 35-minute ferry trip.
Fullers said it had no choice but to issue its withdrawal notice, after being unable to negotiate new contracts with enough subsidy support to cope with cost increases including a 60 per cent rise in fuel prices in the past two years.
Chief executive Douglas Hudson said he did not believe the company was required to offer so much notice, in the absence of contracts, but did so to give the transport authority ample time to arrange replacement services.
He said Fullers was prepared to tender for those services.
The transport authority has, in a "fact sheet" prepared for distribution to passengers, said Fullers rejected an offer of a subsidy rise which would have covered the company's cost increases and provided a return on its investment.
But the authority said it stopped short of approving fare increases for passengers "given the current economic situation".
Waiheke Island ferry passengers meanwhile intend dressing as pirates on Friday in protest against an average fare rise of 12.7 per cent imposed by Fullers on what is an unsubsidised route.
"Many islanders do feel they are being robbed, or more accurately held to ransom, as Fullers have a monopoly on getting to the [Auckland] CBD," said Campaign for Fair Ferry Fares spokeswoman Cathy Urquhart.
Dr Urquhart said the fare rises were unaffordable for many in her community and she called on Fullers to fulfil a promise to reverse these if fuel prices continued to fall.
Mr Hudson said his offer, to a public meeting on the island five weeks ago, depended on a return to lower fuel prices on a long-term basis and it was too soon to tell whether stability would return to the international oil market.
