Fullers taking 'customers for granted' over Waiheke Island ferry service - councillor

Monday, 27 May 2019

Ferry services are coming under the microscope, with a councillor urging the Government to intervene. 

Auckland councillor Chris Darby said Fullers, which operates ferry services for Waiheke Island and Devonport, had 'taken its customers for granted'. 

Overcrowding on reduced winter services, long queues and cancelled services have raised concerns for local politicians and residents. 

Darby planned to write to the Minister of Transport, Phil Twyford, about the problem and to get the Government to review Fullers's exempt status. 

READ MORE: MP calls urgent meeting over 'significant tension' on Waiheke Island ferries

In the 1990s, Fullers was legally allowed to have full control of services to Waiheke Island and Devonport, keeping them out of Auckland Transport's public transport network. 

Darby said those services, out of all the ferry services, was 'the big people lifters' and 'big profit centres for Fullers'. 

The situation in Waiheke was 'desperate' as people were struggling to get to work and to school, Darby said. 

'I will be pushing very hard to bring these services under Auckland Transport's oversight.'

If successful, that would mean the services could be penalised if they did not perform well and it would 'fully and easily integrate all fares', he said. 

Auckland Mayor Phil Goff said he 'totally' supported Darby's view.

'The commercial model was brought in by the last government and we've advocated several times to change this model so ferries are part of our public transport,' he said. 

'I've spoken to government about this several times and until they change the law to allow Auckland Council to integrate ferries with public transport, we won't be able to make the most of our public transport system.'

Going to Twyford meant potential changes could happen swiftly, especially at a time when the country's public transport model going under review, Darby said. 

Last Tuesday, Twyford announced the Government would review the public transport operating model (PTOM). 

PTOM was introduced by the National government in 2013, which encouraged councils to commercialise public transport services.

Waiheke local board chairwoman Cath Handley said the ferries were a lifeline for people living on the island.

'People have become hugely anxious about getting to and from Waiheke,' she said.

'It's very stressful.'

Handley said it was 'tragic' people could not go to work, school or appointments with certainty.

FULLERS, POLITICIANS MEET

Fullers chief executive Mike Horne met with Auckland Central MP Nikki Kaye and Handley about the issue on Monday.

Kaye called the urgent meeting after she received complaints from residents over cancelled services and 'massive queues'.

Tension over the services was not a new problem and had been building for months, she said.

Horne said he understood changes to services, queueing or boarding could be frustrating.

'Any form of abuse towards our dedicated crew is unacceptable and we urge our commuters to please treat our crew with respect. We are all committed to providing the best service possible.'

Immediate actions, including wharf management, were discussed at the meeting alongside 'some long-term issues' that would be tackled, he said.

About 200,000 customers travelled to and from Waiheke monthly and the service had a 99.8 per cent reliability rating for the quarter ending March, he said.

'These ratings show that any disruption to our service is isolated within what is an extremely reliable ferry service that runs 365 days of the year, weather permitting.'

Kaye said Fullers would also look at prioritising passengers who were elderly or frail, but there needed to be 'big changes' in the way the ferry system was managed, including either removing the exemption or coming up with an alternative.

One issue was the lack of competition in the ferry market, she said.

'Another issue is integrated ticketing. Auckland Council are progressing integrated ticketing for Auckland, however reports that Waiheke could be exempt from this is concerning. It will mean islanders and tourists will miss out on seamless services, but also discounts on public transport.'

Waiheke was a world class destination, but it was 'receiving a substandard service', Kaye said.