Video: Minister On Pink Route Ferry Increase
[Updated] Minister of Transport Wayne Furbert is holding a press conference this morning [Feb 13] concerning ferry routes. We will have additional coverage later on and in the meantime the live video is below.
Update: The press conference is still underway, however the Minister has announced the Pink Route will have increased service and hours of operation, to commence operations on March 6th, 2023.
Update: The live broadcast has concluded and the replay is below
Update 4.00pm: Minister Furbert’s remarks:
Good morning, all:
Since taking office as Transport Minister, I’ve heard from residents from Morgan’s Road, Cobbs Hill Road, Keith Hall Road, Cedar Hill, Harbour Road, and of course Hinson Island
One person in particular, bothered me both day and night and that is the Member of Parliament for Constituency 25 Ianthia Simmons-Wade. She would not let me sleep. She would say Minister, we must find away. We cannot leave the residents to fend for themselves.
MP Simmons-Wade one request was what can be done to increase the service on the Pink Route. We listen. We heard you, and now we are acting.
There are moments in life when you question if it’s the right thing to do. Should you be kind? Should you be selfless? Should you help? The answer to me is always yes.
George Bernard Shaw said: ‘I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live.’
The Ministry and the Department of Marine and Port Services have been working diligently to find a resolution and make the necessary service changes to assist the residents who rely on the Pink Route Ferry.
I am pleased to announce today, the Pink Route will have increased service and hours of operation to commence operations on March 6th, 2023. Currently, the schedule is commuter based and only provides services during the morning rush hour [three runs] and the afternoon rush hour [four runs] from Monday to Friday.
To accommodate the requests from the riding public, the new Pink Route schedule will now include the following:
- Operate ten runs per day from Monday to Saturday
- Four runs have been added to cover late-morning to noonday
- The Saturday service was added at the request of the riding public
With the new budget coming on board the Ministry will add on Sundays, it will also review the demand to determine if additional runs will be added to the summer schedule.
As Minister of Transport, I know that access to public transportation is vital for our residents and visitors. We have listened and done the work needed to improve this route.
I am grateful to everyone who reached out to me with their concerns, particularly the area MP, who has been persistent since day one.
I want to take this opportunity to highlight the crews who operate the Pink Route ferry. Many of them approached me advocating for their regular passengers. It is of mutual interest to the Marine and Port Services crew and people who rely on this service to increase operation.
Let me take this opportunity to remind residents that daily, the Marine and Port Services team provides our residents and visitors with safe and reliable ferry service. I am encouraging more residents to use the service and help us reduce road congestion.
As most ferry commuters will testify, it is one of the most relaxing ways to get to and from work and school.
Within the next two weeks, the new pink schedule will be published on the Departments of Marine and Ports website at marineandports.bm
Thank you, and now I will invite MP Simmons Wade to give remarks.
The full Pink Route Ferry Schedule follows below [PDF here]:
The more things change the more they stay the same.
The Hon. Wayne Furbert was Minister of Transport in 1997 (as a UBP Member of Parliament) and 25 years later the Hon. Wayne Furbert is Minister of Transport (as a PLP Member of Parliament)
Well.
Kiss a** and still running full throttle….
So PLP took this away, then put it back and then make out like they did something for the people. Unbelievable, absolutely unbelievable.
Exactly. It was the PLP who cancelled the route, and now they want us to be grateful for the route being reinstated. Until after the next election, then they’ll cancel it again.
So the PLP won’t listen to the people demanding the ferry service be reinstated, until it seems their MP is not popular, so in steps the Minister to find $250,000 (the cost saving according to the ex Minister who shut down the service) to help her. There should be more ferries in Bermuda not less, and buy electric like the buses. Less traffic, more pleasant transportation for residents and visitors and less pollution.
C25 has been somewhat of a battleground constituency, so it’s no surprise that at some point something will be used to give the incumbent MP some feathers in her cap for whenever the next election comes.