Waiheke Island residents will come face-to-face with Fullers today as frustrations with the ferry service boil over.
A petition has started calling for Fullers to fall under the same regulations as other Auckland public transport. The company presently has full control of services to Waiheke and Devonport, Stuff reports.
Local board chair Cath Handley says ferry disruptions have massive impacts.
"It has massive ramifications - not for the passengers exclusively, but for everybody that is relying on them to be at the other end."
Fullers says it is committed to cooperating with authorities for an integrated network.
The company will hold a public meeting on the island on Sunday to discuss the grievances.
Handley says talks are only just starting to progress.
"It can't be the end of it now. We have to strike while the iron is hot. In my more than 20 years on the island, things have never been so bad - it's all come to a head."
The petition was started by Auckland Councillor Chris Darby.
"We wish to make the Devonport and Waiheke services contracted provisions under the Land Transport Management Act 2003, to ensure fare structure integration and consistent levels of service with Auckland Transport oversight," he told NZME.
Handley says it's time for Government intervention.
"We see this kind of shelving going on of interests, and we're really fed-up and sick to death of this being not advanced by the people whose role it is to advance it."
Newshub.
