WEST BRIGHTON — Staten Island borough president candidate Lou Liedy called on the MTA Thursday to restore bus lines cut in 2010 in order to divert riders from the ferry.
At a press conference next to the bus stop on Forest Avenue and Manor Road, Liedy said he wants the MTA to restore the S57, weekend S54 service, as well as the X6, 13, 16, 18 express bus.
“These people were stranded by the MTA,” he said.
The lines, Liedy said, would help encourage residents to take the bus instead of driving or taking the Staten Island Ferry, which he said was near capacity.
The Democratic candidate also called out his opponent, James Oddo, for recently saying he would push to create new lines for the South Shore, instead of restoring the lost ones first.
“While new bus service is all well and good, restoring local and express bus service that were eliminated in 2010 is more important,” Liedy said.
He also said he would fight to give each borough president one MTA board member to appoint.
“I’d like to see the borough president recommend their own member to the governor,” he said. “Staten Island deserves a guaranteed seat at the MTA table.”
