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Rumours of saved sailings in Sandspit

Sandspit is awash in rumours that the Kwuna's early morning scheduled sailings may be saved, despite a Ministry of Transportation proposal to cut these crossings to save money.At the Jan. 30 meeting of the Moresby Island Management Committee, chair Evan Putterill warned that no official schedule has yet been released, and any discussion about the future schedule is just speculation.Committee member Stan Hovde said he had been talking to BC Ferries staff in Victoria, and heard that serious consideration is being given to keeping the 7:30 am sailing, and some of the later evening ones, cutting sailings in the middle of the day instead.The Ministry of Transportation released proposed service reductions in November that are set to take effect April 1. The government has proposed eliminating the 7 and 7:30 am sailings, and the three last sailings in the evening, the 7, 9 and 10 pm departures from Alliford Bay and their return trips from Skidegate.The 7:30 am sailing from Skidegate is the busiest of the proposed sailings to be cut, with a used capacity of 30 to 50 percent on weekdays. Many people rely on this sailing to get to work.Overall, according to the government report, the average Kwuna sailing is about 20 percent full - the lowest utilization in the system. Reducing the four round trips a day will save an estimated $1.2 million over the next two years.The government is scheduled to release the final ferry schedules later this month.