Ferry terminal repair costs put extra 20c on ferry tickets

By STUART DYE and BERNARD ORSMAN

Ferry ticket prices are to rise by 20c to help pay for keeping terminals maintained and safe.

About $22 million is being spent upgrading the region's ferry terminals, but the organisation doing the job, Auckland Regional Transport Network, needs money to keep them in "as new" condition.

The 20c charge comes into effect on October 30 and will apply to all ferry tickets. It is expected to raise between $600,000 and $800,000 a year.

Transport Network chief executive Martin Gummer said the terminals had slowly deteriorated because not enough money was available for maintenance, repairs and renewal.

"The passenger terminal charge will provide a direct benefit to those who use the ferry terminals," said Mr Gummer.

Work covered by the charge would include repair and replacement of non-slip ramp surfaces, repair of deteriorating piles and replacement of life rings.

The transport network has started a $22 million programme, paid for by Infrastructure Auckland, to upgrade ferry terminals at Half Moon Bay, Bayswater, Northcote Pt, Birkenhead, Beach Haven, Hobsonville and Devonport.

The biggest project is a $9.5 million revamp of the Downtown ferry terminal, where work is due to start before Christmas.

Mr Gummer said the transport network had not asked the Auckland Regional Council for a subsidy to cover the maintenance of the terminals because most ferry services were not subsidised.