BUS TRANSPORT.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 19, 23 January 1929, Page 8

BUS TRANSPORT.

SUBURBAN SERVICES.

STANDARD SET OF FARES.

MORE ECONOMICAL SERVICE,

A highly important report on bus services was submitted to the Auckland Transport Board yesterday by the general manager (Mr. A. E. Ford). Many improvements were contained in the report. Mr. Ford reported:— City Terminus for Point Chevalier, Henderson, Etc "I am of the opinion that the terminus for all buses from the western suburbs should be at Pitt Street. This would make a suitable terminus, as at this point passengers have frequent services via Pitt Street or Queen Street to and from the city and it is within easy reach of carß running to and from all suburbs. Blockhouse Bay Route. "This service at present is run as a feeder service from the Mount Albert Terminus, the proposal being to discontinue the feeder service and to run these buses from Blockhouse Bay alternately via Manukau Road and Taylor Road, thence via the Great North Road to Pitt Street. Sections and Fares. "The present sections and fares on the Henderson, Glen Eden, Smith Street, Hutchinson Avenue and Blockhouse Bay routes are mostly in accordance with the fares charged by the former G.O.C. Company. "In order to bring about uniformity of fares I submit a revised scale, the rate being uniform throughout. "The proposal is to have cash fares for each section with concession cards allowing a 25 per cent reduction on the cash fare, also concession cards for school children similar to the system in rogue on the tram routes, but all existing concessions and return tickets are to be abolished.

"The adoption of this proposal would make the cash fares on all bus routes the same as on tram routes, viz. 2d cash for one section and Id for each additional section (25 per cent reduction in the case of concession tickets), with the following exceptions:—

"(a) Commerce Street to the Strand and St. Stephen's Avenue being along a tram route, the proposed fare is 3d and 4d respectively.

"(b) Commerce Street to Grafton Bridge, being along a tram route, the proposed fare is 3d.

"(c) Commerce Street to Khyber Pass where the bus runs along the route to the hospital, and is served by Grieves, who operates a bus between Pitt Street and the hospital. The fare set by the No. 1 Licensing Authority is 4d.

"(d) Pitt Street to Surrey Crescent being along a tram route, the proposed fare is 3d.

"The minimum fare is for the purpose of preventing tram passengers riding on the buses between Pitt Street and Surrey Crescent.

"All workmen's weekly, apprentice, return and combined tram and bus tickets, both by cash and by concession card, will be abolished.

"I am of the opinion that whilst objection will probably be taken by residents of the Henderson, New Lynn, Qlen Eden and Blockhouse Bay districts to the discontinuance of the workers' weekly tickets, tbat no real hardship Will be inflicted upon them, as. these districts are well served by the railway, for which workmen's weekly tickets are issued at rates much cheaper than ours. The workers' fare by train between Henderson and the city is 3/8 per week, against 8/ by bus.

"In putting forward this recommendation to abolish the sale of return tickets for cash, it has to be pointed out that it is also proposed at the same time to reduce the cash fare for the single journey. The following are instances: Henderson Route. "Present: Through to city, 1/6 cash. "Proposed: Single to Pitt Street, 1/1; by 12-trip card, 9jd. "Distance approximately 11 miles. Gltn Eden and New Lynn. "Present: Through to city, 1/ cash. "Proposed: Single to city, lid; by 12trip card, Bjd. "The present fare from Avondale to New Lynn for cash is 3d. The recommendation is to divide this distance into two sections With fares as follows:— 1 section, 2d cash; ljd by concession card; or 1/6 for 12 trip card; 2 sections, 3d cash, 2Jd by concession card, or 2/3 for a 12 trip card. Blockhouse Bay Route. "The cost of the through single journey by concession card to Pitt Street will be 6|d, which shows a saving of 8d on a return journey from Pitt Street when compared with the present caih combined tram and bus return ticket to city at 1/9 (IOJd each way). Point Resolution Route. "At present a flat cash rate of 3d is charged (2 1013 d by concession ticket) on this route, but the recommendation is to divide it into three sections. On these sections the fare from Commerce Street to Parnell Park will be 3d (present fare 3d); Commerce Street to Point Resolution will be 4d (present fare 3d); by concession card the proposed fare from Point Resolution is 3d. 'Mount Eden Route. "At present the 'combined' tram and bus concession card, Boundary Road to City, costs 4/ for 12 rides, or 41 per trip. For this journey by concession cards under this recommendation it will become necessary for passengers to purchase the following!—l-Section bus card, Boundary Road to Mount Eden Terminus. 12 trips for 1/6 (per trio, Ijd); 3.section tram card, Mount Eden Terminus to City, 12 trips for 3/ (per trip, 3d), or an increase for concession card riders of |d per ride. Dominion Road Route. "For the journey from Boundary Road to the city the same applies as in the case of the Mount Eden feeder route. The present flve : section 'combined* tram and bus concession card, Mount Albert Road to city, costs 5/» or 6d P er ttJ P" For this journey by concession cards, under this recommendation, it will be necessary to purchase the following:—2i -Section bus card, Mount Albert Road to dominion Road Terminus, 12 trips, 2/3 [per trip, 2Jd); 3-section tram sard, Dominion Road Terminus to city, 12 tn?», 3/ (per trip, 3d). That is, it will XLS* JZJ** a^ mgt M by the rwrat 'combined' concession card, an

Edendale Road Route. "The same applies on this route, as mentioned for Dominion Road route for the one or two bus sections used. West End Route. "Proposed changes, 1 section, 2d cash, or concession card (by 12-trip card for 1/6); 2 section, 3d cash, or 2id concession card (by 12-trip card for 2/3). "Until the proposal of constructing a tramway along Richmond Road to Wcit End Road has received the consideration of the board, it is recommended that this service be discontinued, and that the Richmond Road route be extended from the intersection of Richmond Road and Peel Street, via Peel Street, Warnock Street, West End Avenue and Garnet Road, to its intersection with West End Eoad, the present section on the West End Road bus route. The district will have through services to the city. Buckland Road Route. "The sections will be' revised as under, the first price being cash fare and in parentheses the 12-trip concession card: 1. Commerce Street to Grafton Bridge, 3d (2id); 2. Commerce Street to Khyber Pass, 4d (3d); 3. Khyber Pass to Owens Eoad, 2d (ljd); 4. Owens Road to King George Avenue, 2d (l£d); 5. King George Avenue to Empire Road, 2d (lid); 6. Empire Road to Mount Albert Road, 2d (1J); Commerce Street to Mount Albert Road, 7d (s|d). Point Chevalier Route. "The sections between Surrey Crescent and Point Chevalier have been reduced from four to three, as follows:— Surrey Crescent to Stone Jug, 95 chains; Stone Jug to Formby Road, 70 chaius; Formby Road fo Terminus, J»C chains. Orakei Road Route. "There will be no alteration of fares on this route; bus concession cards only will be available. The suggestion is made that this bus runs only to the intersection of Benson Road and Upland Road, and that it is discontinued on Sundays. Other Suggestions. "It is recommended that the terminus for the Henderson bus be at a point opposite the Henderson railway station. At the present time it runs approximately 45 chains beyond the railway station to Lincoln Road, but a check of the loading between these points shows that very few passengers are carried. "It is also suggested that the Hutchinson Avenue service be discontinued and that this bus be run as a feeder service from the Mount Albert tram terminus to the Avondale Post Office, and that the Smith Street bus be run via the Titirangi Road to Smith Street, instead of via Mataia Road and Margon Avenue. "The figures show » saving of £4386 10/ per annum, but in submitting this I must state that I am not able to accurately determine the receipts from extra popularity.

"As the result is based on the present bus traffic only, it is conservative, and I am definitely of the opinion that the result of actual operation will be better, I recommend the proposals contained herein be given t trial for a period of, say, six months.

"Should the board decide to confine its operations to services within its area and permit private operators to run services from beyond its boundarv, viz.: From New Lynn, Smith Street, Hutchinson Avenue, Glen Eden and Henderson, a scheme favoured by me, the scale of fares as proposed will not be affected, but will then apply only to the boundary of the board's area."

Private Enterprise. Commenting on the matter the chairman (Mr. J. A. C. Allum) said when Mr. Coyle asked for a report on the possibility of extending the buß terminus from Surrey Crescent to Pitt Street, it was decided that the manager should prepare a. comprehensive report on the bus services generally. It was desired, said Mr. Allum, to effect three objects, namely (a) an equitable and standard set of fares; (b) through running; (cj exact allocation of fares to buses and trams.

The report submitted a standard set of fares which would give buses credit for every penny they earned and proVide a measure of through service. In so far as the new proposals affected the districts proposed to be served by tramways, the proposals could be considered as improved temporary conditions pending completion of any tramway extensions the board may adopt. So far as services to New Lynn, Glen Eden, Henderson,, etc., are concerned, the tramway committee and the chairman believed the City Council never desired to run those, but circumstances made their continuance by the council desir* able, pending setting up of the board. The workers living at the places named, need not become concerned at the proposals now submitted, because, apart from the facilities offered by the railways, said the chairman, he believed that before the proposals could become actual policy, the board Would have agreed to private enterprise operating the services affected, The suggestions now submitted had been held back by the management and the tramway committee pending the setting up of the board, and, added the chairman, the policy of the Committee i was to ultimately make Avondale a bus centre.

The whole matter was referred to the board in committee for consideration.