users.

Transport Minister the Hon. Maxwell Burgess introduced The Marine Board (Ferry Service Fares) Regulations and the Government Omnibus (Fares) Amendment Regulations saying they would help improve public transportation.

Ferry fares for the Somerset route are to rise 50 cents to $3.50 while fares for the Paget and Warwick routes will rise 50 cents to $2.

Bus fares for longer routes, more than three zones, are to jump to $4 from $3 while fares for short routes are to drop from $3 to $2.50.

Transport critic Mr. Dennis Lister questioned the necessity of the increases given Government's estimate they would raise more than $100,000.

Mr. Eugene Cox , Shadow Finance Minister, said Government should be dropping fares to encourage more people to use public transportation. He was also critical of decisions to cut back service after 6 p.m.

"Let's make it user friendly and let's make it as economical as possible,'' he said.

Mr. Burgess countered Mr. Cox in saying that the ferry routes that ended last year did not operate during peak traffic hours.

"Government found that the routes at those time were simply not viable, so a management decision was taken,'' he said. "On balance, the taxpayers have been best served by that decision.'' Mr. Dennis Lister argued that bus fares did not need to increase because Bermuda could afford greater Government subsidisation of the service.

He said the $2.50 short fare should be reduced even more because the rate was too much for many short routes, such as from Somerset to Dockyard.

Mr. Walter Lister (PLP) called for the return of a bus-ferry transfer system.

Mr. Burgess said Bermuda had made great strides towards integrating the ferries and bus system.

One of the aims behind the rate changes was to discourage the use of cash, he said.

He argued that the increases would not hurt people because of Government's commitment to improve the overall economy including Tourism's push for ten percent more visitors this year.