COUNCIL CANDIDATE ISSUES STATEMENT OF PRIVATE BUS SERVICE
CANCELLATION OFFERS SHORT AND LONG TERM PUBLIC TRANSIT RECOMMENDATIONS
Staten Island, N.Y. - 49th City Council (North
Shore) candidate Debi Rose attended the emergency meeting hosted by Councilman
Jerome X. O’Donovan last night on the decision by Academy Bus Tours to
discontinue bus service on Staten Island effective June 22nd.
“This situation makes one thing that makes clear –
Staten Island has insufficient public transportation options and public transit
providers have treated Staten Island as a stepchild,” she stated. “I
believe that Staten Islander know what the public transportation system needs
here. It is up to them to support and elected public officials who will listen
to their concerns and provide the leadership to get what we deserve from our
government,” she continued. “So tonight I implore our elected
officials to start to look beyond this immediate important problem and to
initiate the development of viable public transportation alternatives that will
safeguard Staten Islanders from being held hostage to operators who have little
or no regard for the Staten Island ridership,” she concluded.
Ms. Rose also present several short and long-term
recommendations for bus and public transportation on Staten Island, including;
(1) that the MTA and City must immediately fill the void created by the
discontinuation of service by Academy Bus Tours on Friday on both the North and
South Shores; (2) to urge the City to seek to enforce the provisions of the
franchise agreement, including litigation against Academy, until this
alternative service can be provided; (3) that the MTA and City must provide
adequate bus service to Manhattan, both through Brooklyn and New Jersey; (4)
The North Shore railroad must be brought back as a passenger line to provide
public transportation; (5) alternatively a light rail service should be
developed; and (6) that the City should help fully implement the “Ferry
Loop” proposal by the regional waterborne coalition.
SEE STATEMENT
### |
