Transport Minister Dr. Ewart Brown has promised a rethink on an access road to the Rockaway ferry stop in Southampton after residents claimed it was dangerous.

Householders at a public meeting on the new faster ferry system on Tuesday night said plans to adapt the route to the new stop down Tribe Road number five would make an already hazardous junction even worse.

The stretch of Middle Road by the Tribe Road number five has been nicknamed Death Valley because of the high number of accidents.

Resident Bruce Bean said: "That's how the Death Valley name arose, you got the two bus stops there, the gas station. And now they want to send traffic up this road? "They should send it up George's Bay Road, the road is already wide. The Americans built those roads.

"Why go to all the cost of developing that when you can try this out?'' And Dr. Brown said he was happy to reconsider plans to axe the Boaz Island stop which was on the hit list after studies found an average of just five people used the stop daily.

Lawyer Ian Kawaley poured doubt on the low figure from his own experience and pointed out that there was ample parking nearby.

He said residents had bought homes there knowing there was a ferry stop nearby and the loss of the service could hit property prices.

Dr. Brown pointed out that Boaz Islanders would get the minibus service to ferry them from their houses but he urged Mr. Kawaley to set up a meeting with residents to see if there was the demand to keep the service going.

The Minister said he was always prepared to listen to suggestions about timing of ferries and stops. He told the audience at Southampton Glebe school: "We'll fashion a schedule for most of the people for most of the time.'' Television, air conditioning and heaters plus a minibus service to pick up passengers from their houses is all part of the revamped ferry plan as the Ministry aims to increase the numbers of commuters using the service from just two percent.

Dr. Brown said: "The question is not whether we should improve water transport. The question is how to do it intelligently and successfully.'' He joked: "We will take away all your excuses even though you don't have TV's in your cars.'' The new ferries will slash commuting times after it was revealed another 7,000 cars could hit Bermuda's clogged roads if everybody with an assessment number decided to use it.

Trips from Dockyard to Hamilton which currently take an hour in the car will take around 20 minutes in a ferry while those coming from Rockaway would save 25 minutes on their journey time if they swapped their car for the ferry.

He stressed the comfort level of the journey would also rise in the faster ferries which will start coming on stream next winter and there will also be better disabled access.

The faster speeds will mean commuter journeys from the West End will be trebled from just two before 9 a.m. to six trips while passenger capacity will be upped from 500 to 1,500.

At Rockaway improvements will yield 100 parking spaces, shelter, a bus and minibus link and increased lighting and security.

And better pedestrian access was promised with the possibility of pavement being put in along the adjacent stretch of Middle Road.