Foot passengers present safety risk for BC Ferries - or do they?

At the recent Ferry Advisory Committee, it was reported a risk assessment had been conducted on passengers leaving the Gabriola ferry and a decision taken that would mean foot passengers and cyclists disembarking after vehicles have left the ferry at both ends of the route.

In a letter to BC Ferries, Island Blog has pointed out some of the weaknesses in this proposal:

• No representative of the FAC appears to have been invited to contribute to the risk assessment
• Allowing cyclists to board first puts them in conflict with vehicles as they are still on the car deck when vehicles are being loaded
• Foot passengers are already safely managed at the Gabriola terminal, to keep them away from vehicles leaving the ferry
• Delaying foot passengers leaving the ferry at Gabriola will result in a greater hazard from the many cars that await the arrival of friends and family on the ferry, clogging the area as cars are unloaded
• Foot passengers leaving the ferry at Nanaimo are allowed to wander into the vehicle lanes because BCF staff follow them off the ferry, instead of leading them off as they do at the Gabriola terminal
• Pedestrian barriers and gates at the Nanaimo terminal need to be refurbished and supervised by staff, as they are at Gabriola. 
• Since there is a member of terminal staff on duty at Nanaimo, there is a "spare" member of crew who could ensure these procedures are followed
• With up to 150 walk-on passengers aboard on busy crossings, there is a serious risk of an accident aboard the ferry as they wander onto the car deck while vehicles are being unloaded
• During the summer months, many walk-on passengers stay on the car deck during the crossing - especially on Quinsam. These passengers will be at serious risk while vehicles are leaving the ferry.

Have BC Ferries taken these issues into account in their Risk Assessment? We must wait and see.