in the next two weeks, Transport Minister Ewart Brown revealed on Friday.

Companies wanting to build the four catamaran-style ferries and docks are to send in plans.

The first ferries should be running by September next year, carrying 250 passengers at speeds of up to 35 knots.

Dr. Brown stressed the need for an integrated transport plan to link up the buses, ferries and private bus operators.

There will be a changed ferry schedule and an increased number of trips to the West End with a Sunday service being introduced.

The West End additions are needed to cope with the extra passengers from the new cruise ship arriving in Dockyard.

He said: "There will be an additional funds for service from Dockyard. I was concerned people at the weekends can take a ferry to dine and take in a movie but not get back. Soon they will be.'' But there will be a reduction in the Paget/Warwick route to reflect the drop in demand.

Ferry and bus services will get a publicity boost with the weather channel set to screen them daily.

And Dr. Brown promised an "unforgettable'' public relations campaign to boost the use of public transport.

But he said all plans would be based on widespread consultation as well as detailed surveys.

He pointed to research which had identified increased commuter demand for ferries on the Hamilton/Somerset/Dockyard route.

A 1999 traffic survey had identified that peak hour traffic had increased at a rate of 4.5 percent per year during the 1990s with a bigger upswing in traffic from the western parishes.

Further studies had shown a large potential demand from the western parishes for ferry services which were currently lacking a service.

The most promising location was the Tribe Road 5/Rockaway location while current stops could be used better with improvements such as parking and minibus service.

Dr. Brown said: "Driving from the West End can take up to 50 to 55 minutes.

With the weekend cruise ships arriving at Dockyard there will be additional transport demands.'' He said: "We are expecting a further cruise ship to visit Bermuda. When it comes it will have 1,300 people.'' He said the Ministry was working to make sure the ferries and buses linked up to ensure the visitors had access to good and easy travel.

The Minister also promised action over inconsistencies over testing standards at TCD which had been raised by a letter writer to The Royal Gazette .

Dr. Brown also revealed some surprising statistics on road accidents which showed that accident rates had fallen despite an increased volume of traffic on the roads.

He said: "In 1981 there were 40,402 vehicles on the roads and there were 3,480 accidents and eleven deaths but in 1999 there were 52,437 vehicles on the road and 2,878 accidents and ten deaths.

"It could be that safety-concerned Bermudians are being more careful.'' Shadow Transport Minister Erwin Adderley said the fast ferries should be delayed until the infrastructure was in place.

And he questioned where the cash was to come from to pay for new docks and parking facilities for an improved ferry service.

He said: "I can't find any reference to infrastructure improvements in this estimate.

He added: "The question you have to ask is about the environmental impact of these faster ferries.'' And he accused the Government of scaremongering by implying the new ferries were needed because the current ones would not last another season.

Mr. Adderley raised concerns about the taxi industry, saying there was one recent incident when there were no drivers to take passengers arriving at the Airport.

He said: "Radios should be placed in cars so they can be reached.'' He also wondered whether cameras could be placed in taxis to improve driver safety and encourage drivers to work more hours.

And he attacked drivers who owned cabs but were never seen driving them.

Kim Young (UBP) called for taxis to display the rights of passengers and drivers in their cabs and she lamented the behaviour of drivers at the Airport who had insisted a passenger take the cab at the front of the line even though it didn't have air conditioning.

In reply, Dr. Brown said Government had completed ten out of 14 transportation manifesto promises.

The dock and ferry project will cost a total of $24 million, he said. This year, $6 million will be spent on the boats and docks. Seven or eight companies had expressed interest in the boat and dock projects.

He said the new ferries were enviromentally safer than those currently in use, creating less of a wake behind them.

In terms of car sizes, Dr Brown accused the Opposition of taking their lead from The Royal Gazette and assuming a decision on car sizes had been made.

"Did we consider larger cars? Yes. Have we done it? No,'' he said.

Government had dispensed with a team of Canadian consultants looking at the airport and had saved $275,000.

He attacked the United Bermuda Party for demanding cameras be installed in taxis when that party had removed radios from the cabs when in Government.

Government is in consultation with the Ministry of Education and private schools about providing more school buses for children, he added.

Dr. Ewart Brown Ewin Adderley