NSW Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell and Liberal Member for Lane Cove Anthony Roberts today called on Transport Minister and Ryde MP John Watkins to guarantee the continuation of the RiverCat service through to Parramatta.

"The Walker Report into Sydney Ferries recommends the abolition of the RiverCat service between Rydalmere and Parramatta and given John Watkins' history of slashing transport services, he must guarantee the RiverCat won't be abolished altogether," Mr O'Farrell said from Meadowbank Wharf.

"At a time when the Iemma Government should be trying to increase public transport use, John Watkins wants to scrap the RiverCat service," Mr O'Farrell said.

"As Transport Minister, John Watkins has cut 416 daily train services and over 1,500 weekly buses services," he said.

"John Watkins' argument that RiverCat services are unreliable is based on Labor's refusal to adequately fund the service. John Watkins has created a vicious cycle: people have stopped catching the ferry because it's so unreliable and now wants to use this as an excuse to scrap the service.

"Local commuters will use a safe, clean and reliable ferry service. Unfortunately John Watkins has failed to provide such services along the Parramatta River and has turned his back on the people of Ryde and surrounding areas.

"John Watkins is only focused on selling and cutting ferry assets, not rebuilding them.

"Latest RiverCat figures show there have been 31 collisions in the last three years – more than any other class of vessel in the fleet. The RiverCat also fails to meet the government's own benchmarks for reliability – with one in six pulled from service because of mechanical failure.

"Anthony Roberts and I will do everything possible to ensure that John Watkins maintains the RiverCat services which the last Liberal Government introduced in 1993."

Mr Roberts said the Liberals are determined to ease the transport stress faced by local commuters.

"Whether they travel by bus, train or RiverCat, commuters deserve a service they actually want to travel on," Mr Roberts said.

"That's why the NSW Liberals are committed to an integrated transport system that works for commuters – rather than frustrating them," he said.