Conservation group comments on study
There are claims that the study prepared by the American Environment Group, Bluewater Network (http://earthisland.org/bw/ ferryreport.shtml) on Fast Ferries is unsubstantiated.
This is incorrect.
The ACF Central Coast do not work that way.
It has been reviewed by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District in San Francisco, and the results were generally regarded as accurate.
A second agency was the California Air Resources Board that agreed that it appeared to be in the range of what they had found in the past.
The bottom line is that ferries powered by diesel fuel, even meeting the IMO standards, are far dirtier than cars per person.
It should be possible for a consultant to do an analysis of emissions of cars versus ferries in a reasonable amount of time at a reasonable cost yet Fast Ships in my correspondence with them claim that it would be too time consuming and expensive.
An interesting thing about this is that the Supershuttle fast ferry proponents for the Gosford run have supplied this sort of comparison in their EIS claiming that their engine is far less polluting than the gas engine cited by the American report.
The Bluewater Network study was never asserted to be totally comprehensive, however the general findings were alarming and deserved some serious consideration.
The debate in council on the issue was non-existent when I raised it: no questions, no statements in regard to this serious air pollution study.
I acknowledge that the stated benefits for the community were reasonable to argue in support of the project.
It was a matter of weighing up the benefits versus the costs.
In my opinion, the costs are too high.
I hope I'm wrong.
I hope that all the benefits claimed by Fast Ships for the community come to fruition.
I believe that the problems with fast ferries in the air pollution stakes are not shared by the slow ferries which are more favourably compared to the car.
However, I cannot substantiate this with an independent study.
In the end, if the ferry is eventually running, it is better to use it than not, because it is making its run anyway.
This applies to all mass transit systems.
Buses and trains happen to be far less polluting and should be the first choice, after the bicycle.
My message is that everyone should, whenever possible, leave the car at home, or not buy one in the first place.
Councillor Geoff Preece President ACF Central Coast