Ferry booking bid to fix long queues
THE State Government and SeaLink Group are maintaining that a booking system for the Bruny Island Ferry is the best way forward, despite resistance from the community.
SeaLink was awarded the tender to operate ferry services between Bruny Island and Kettering for the next decade.
But since the announcement there has been criticism about the plan for a booking system from some Bruny residents and successful tourism operator Rob Pennicott, who tendered for the project.
SeaLink general manager Paul Victory said a booking service would work.
“We were asked to address the potential safety risks associated with long queues through the scope of the contract and the booking system is one of the strategies around that,” he said.
Mr Victory, who attended a public meeting for the project on Sunday to field questions from residents, said consultation with the community would continue, but added there had been a lot of misinformation.
“People are talking about booking fees and outrageous price increases and we are not doing any of that.”
SeaLink told the Bruny Island community at the meeting that its booking system would require additional waiting bays or lanes to be built at both Kettering and Roberts Point, in order to effectively implement its online booking system, but Labor infrastructure spokesman David O’Byrne said there was no money in the budget to build them.
“(Infrastructure Minister) Jeremy Rockliff appears hell bent on implementing an online booking system, despite the Bruny Island community warning him against it,” Mr O’Byrne said.
Mr Rockliff hit back, saying if residents do not want to prebook their travel, they don’t have to because SeaLink will be operating a standby queue.
He also responded to claims from Incat chief Bob Clifford that his company had proposed to build two larger, faster, state-of-the-art vessels that would auto-dock at two new terminals.
“I’m advised that Mr Clifford was not part of any bid received for the final tender assessment,” he said.