Government has struck a deal with the developer of the Belmont Hotel to create new parking spaces for the Darrell's Wharf ferry stop, Transport Minister Dr. Ewart Brown has revealed.

And Government plans to buy a fifth new ferry in 2004, he said. The ferry is estimated to cost between $1 million and $1.5 million.

Dr. Brown told members of the Hamilton Rotary Club this week that the Rockaway fast ferry service was now averaging more than 550 commuters per day. And he said as a result Transport Ministry is in the process of adding additional parking spaces to the Southampton terminal.

When Rotarians asked about the lack of parking at other ferry stops, in particular Darrell's Wharf, the Minister said a deal had been struck with the developer of the Belmont Hotel.

"A plot of land has been set aside for parking (for ferry users)," he said.

As for the future of the ferry modernisation project, Dr. Brown said the project's second phase would include the delivery of two more catamaran ferries to replace the ageing Somerset ferry. Government's budget for the year has allocated $2.6 million towards the purchase of the two ferries.

"It is also our intention to purchase a third ferry-boat in 2004," he said, bringing the total number of catamaran ferries on the Island up to five.

"Purchasing these new ferry-boats will provide our customers with a modern ferry fleet with the potential for expansion ... such as commuter service to St. George's and service to the Bermuda International Airport," said the Minister.

Dr. Brown also highlighted public transportation on land, saying the Ministry had introduced 45 new buses since 1998, including two prototypes with lower, single-step entrances.

Transportation for the physically challenged has also been improved, he added, citing moves allowing taxis to import wheelchair lift equipment.

"In another decision made recently," he said, "we are actively planning the establishment of a private sector Dial-a-Ride service for the physically challenged community. This will move the major responsibility of transporting the physically challenged from the taxis to a dedicated service."

And, according the Dr. Brown, the Transport Control Department (TCD) will soon be leaping into the 21st century with an online scheduling programme allowing Bermudians to make, confirm or cancel an appointment at TCD.

"We also wish to develop an informational and transactional website that would provide many of the services that today require a physical visit to TCD," he said.

It is in the air, however, that the Ministry seems to be gaining the most international recognition.

"In 2002 the International Air Services Association awarded the Bermuda International Airport awards: number one worldwide for `courtesy and helpfulness of staff', number four worldwide for `overall passenger satisfaction', and number one airport overall in North America with under 25 million enplanements (the total number of people arriving and departing by passenger airline)," he said. The total number of enplanements in Bermuda is estimated at 840,000.

With new flights from Washington, DC and Boston, as well as aggressive seeking of new airline players for the Bermudian market, Dr. Brown was hopeful increased competition would lower airfares to Bermuda.

"The airline will charge whatever the market will bid, and the market is changing," he said. "We are going to see all kinds of creative approaches to get people on planes."