storm among MPs.

Opposition members attacked the axing of the 6.15 a.m. and the 6 p.m. ferries from Hamilton, due to start today.

And they renewed calls for a unified public transport system involving ferries and buses.

Transport Minister the Hon. Ralph Marshall confirmed that the cuts were going ahead this week during his Budget speech to Parliament on Friday.

Mr. Marshall said only 10 to 15 people were using the each of the two ferries producing an annual revenue of around $11,000 for the Government.

But he said that the cost of running the first and last ferries was in excess of $110,000, so the cuts meant a saving of nearly $100,000.

He said: "We will keep these under review and when finances allow we will re-instate them and hopefully increase schedules not only for ferries, but for buses as well.'' Mr. Marshall said that a Government survey indicated a third of the passengers would use a later ferry in the morning and an earlier ferry at night.

But the majority of people said they would use their own form of transport.

No-one said they would use the bus service.

Shadow Transport Minister Mr. Walter Lister said the service would hit Bermudians, particularly in the Dockyard area where the bus service was "atrocious''.

Shadow Finance Minister Mr. Eugene Cox said: "Those two services are particularly useful for businessmen and I find it difficult to believe that the Government is cutting them.'' Deputy PLP leader Mr. Walter Roberts suggested amalgamation of the ferry and bus services in order to allow Bermudians to buy passes to use on both.

He said: "The service is available to tourists, why is it not available for Bermudian commuters?'' St. George's UBP MP Mr. Phillip Smith said there was no ferry service to the East End, only the buses.

Mr. Smith said: "I do not blame the Somerset Lobby for being concerned about 11 people having to find alternative transportation because of the Minister of Transport.

"But I think the Bermudian public will understand the Minister's decision to save $100,000 by cutting a service for only 11 people.

"The Opposition is complaining about wasting money and now it is complaining about the Government trying to save money.'' This was supported by the Transport Minister, who said: "Where will the money come from? Maybe we will get the money from a money tree. The PLP always says give, give, give, give without saying where the money is coming from.'' Chairman of the Passenger Transport Committee, UBP MP Mr. Anthony Cooreia said he could not understand people not liking travel on the buses.

He asked all MPs and Bermudians to spend a day on the buses to see what a pleasant journey they provided around the Island.