yesterday -- forcing transport chiefs into a re-think.

Four buses linking the former US Naval Annex at White Hill with Watford Bridge ran empty, despite the start of free ferry trips into Hamilton.

Officials from Marine and Ports and the Public Transport Board have started the free trips to help commuters make it to the city during rebuilding work on Somerset Bridge.

But Dan Simmons, assistant director of transport, last night claimed the bus experiment had suffered a "disastrous start''.

He said not one passenger had stopped the buses -- marked Ferry Express -- between the Annex and the bridge.

The morning buses, which leave at 6.50 and 7.50, are deliberately timed to connect commuters with the free ferries.

The same buses are scheduled to wait at Watford Bridge for the last two ferry services now leaving Hamilton, at 5.20 and 6 p.m.

Mr. Simmons said last night: "The bus will pick up any ferry passengers along the way and it will not pick up other regular fare passengers or let people off at stops before the bridge.

"They are free services specifically designed to meet the ferries but nobody rode either of them this morning.

"It was a disastrous start and we must hope that it was related to the poor weather conditions.'' He said the buses would be scrapped if nobody wanted to make use of the service.

"We'll just have to wait and see,'' added Mr. Simmons. "Let's just hope the weather was a factor.'' Marine and Ports bosses plan to run the free ferry services for 12 weeks, while the bridge repairs are underway.

Assistant director Mike Dolding said the free trips -- two in the morning and two in the evening -- could even be extended if the rebuilding work was delayed.

"It's a little too early to say how successful this will be,'' he said.

"Reports today suggested we've had a handful more on the ferries but that's all.

"Certainly, if the bridge work goes on a little longer then we expect this service to be provided a little longer.

"But there has been no big, significant jump in numbers on board yet so we'll just have to wait and see.

"The other factor to take into account is that congestion on the bridge probably hasn't really taken hold yet and could well get worse.'' Mr. Dolding said the 6 p.m. ferry from Hamilton was a new service terminating in Dockyard, where the Horizon cruise ship is now dropping anchor every week.

But he added that the free trips were only available to Bermuda residents who can present identification.