Invoking his two-city theme, Fernando Ferrer charged yesterday that subway stations outside Manhattan are treated as second-class.
Campaigning at the B and C train stop at 135th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue with Manhattan Borough President Virginia Fields, Ferrer said public-address systems have been installed in only a third of stations in Brooklyn and Queens and half in The Bronx.
But in Manhattan, he said, 92 percent of stations are equipped with loudspeakers.
“Without a proper PA system, millions of New Yorkers cannot get instructions in an emergency and passengers cannot get the information they need,” said Ferrer.
Although the MTA runs the subway system, Ferrer blamed Mayor Bloomberg for not pushing for the upgrades and derided Bloomberg’s four appointees to the MTA board as “potted plants.”
“Mike Bloomberg’s appointees fought the last fare hike and months ago proposed using the MTA surplus to avoid the next fare hike. We guess Freddy’s fresh out of ideas since he keeps stealing ours,” said Stu Loeser, the mayor’s campaign spokesman.