BY IAN CROUCH
Plans to increase fares for the Stockton Ferry have been scrapped.
The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal was proposing a 7% increase, which translates to a 21cent rise per trip.
IPART says it received particularly strong feedback on the proposal, with Newcastle Council arguing the ferry was the only viable sustainable transport option for people travelling between Newcastle and northern residential areas.
The IPART backdown came when the benefits of the 650 metre ferry trip outweighed the cost of longer road commutes, pollution and congestion.
