Fare hike hits Russell

KERI MOLLOY

COMMUTERS face a hike in ferry charges to Russell that are expected to impact significantly on the town's economy.

Fullers Intercity Ferries announced across-the-board increases that come into effect this week.

Columnist John Agace says the ferry is a vital lifeline for the peninsula and people feel the rises are excessive.

"Any change in ferry fares ripples right through the entire Russell economy.

"It will cause the price of fuel, locally purchased food, courier fees, building materials and everything else that is imported from offshore to increase significantly.

"To make matters worse, GST is also going up on October 1.

"For Fullers to bring these changes in at a time when the New Zealand exchange rate is already excessively high is doing our international tourism industry no good at all.

"The numbers of visitors may be down but that is causing us problems too."

People in Russell feel trapped by Fullers, Okiato, Te Wahapu and Districts Ratepayers and Residents Association chairman Terry Greening says.

Mr Greening is a candidate for the Russell-Opua seat on the Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board.

"They're in sole charge and we have no option – the back road is no option.

"They have us over a barrel and we feel that the current increase is too steep," he says.

A passenger concession ticket between Paihia and Russell increases 12 percent from $25 to $28 while the charge for a return passage for an adult goes up from $10 to $12 – a 20 percent rise.

Vehicle ferry charges increase between 9 and 11 percent and move from a weight-based measure to a lane/metre-based measure. A 10-trip concession ticket for a medium-sized car travelling between Opua and Okiato costs $157. A concession for a truck is $495.

Fullers Bay of Islands general manager Charles Parker says the company has not increased fares for three years.

"Concession fares have not been lifted for six years and all our costs have gone up – including fuel, maintenance and labour – while patronage is down."

The ferry business was acquired by Fullers in the late 1980s.

Another company, Opua Ferries, sought to operate a second ferry service in 1997 but was unable to because Fullers has exclusive rights to the ramps.

The challenge went to the Privy Council but failed.

The ramps were previously owned by the Northland Harbour Board and are now owned by Far North Holdings.

The company has no plans to expand them because there is no commercial demand, general manager Chris Galbraith says.

- Bay Chronicle