BRIDGE OR FERRY?

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 288, 5 December 1929, Page 11

BRIDGE OR FERRY?

FOR DEVONPORT'S NEEDS TRAVELLING COSTS COMPARED BRIDGE NOT VITAL TO PROGRESS. A MAYORAL REVIEW. Interesting and informative evidence on the relative importance of the existing ferry service and the projected bridge scheme to the borough of Devonport was yesterday afternoon placed before the Auckland Harbour Bridge Commission by Mr. Ernest Aldridge, representing the Devonport Borough Council. A Mayoral Analysis. Speaking as Mayor of Devonport since 1927, and member of the Borough Council for four years previously, Mr. Aldridge made a statement that set forth the collective mind of the members of the council. He said that as a private citizen and an idealist he was definitely in favour of the bridge, but as the chief executive of the borough of Devonport and responsible for the time being for the direction of its municipal affairs he had to oppose the proposal for a bridge. The responsibility was on the council to foresee and assess whether and how far the bridge would be a benefit or a responsibility to the people of the borough. The councillors felt that owing to the geographical configuration of the borough the interests of the Devonport people did not coincide with those of the other communities on the northern side of the harbour in relation to the bridge proposals; that they could not commit their ratepayers to any financial responsibility; that at best the bridge would be a convenience as an alternative method of traffic at the present moment not vital to the borough; that it was problematical whether in the shuffling of traffic routes and centres of population consequent upon the opening of- a bridge the present status of Devonport as the premier North Shore borough in population and capital might not be affected and the standing of the borough, changed to a Land's End community instead of being the focus of the North Shore; that a bridge would not relieve the bulk of Devonport's population from dependence upon the present satisfactory ferry, services, hut might react upon the ferry services in some degree. Not Handicapped. "As the problem was primarily one of transport, population must he discussed," said Mr. Aldridge.

The annual increase in population during the past fifteen years averaged about 200, the estimated population for 1929 being 10,400. The population was entirely residential, and the daily movement to and frdin . vckland was great, so that ehpfin and efficient.transport was essential. Witness quoted figures to show that Devonport's progress had been normal and said that there was nothing to show that dependence on the ferries had in any way caused Devonport to lag behind, when comparisons were made with other boroughs. He pointed out that buses were relied upon to distribute the population of the borough to and from the ferries at Devonport, excepting the Stanley Bay traffic. Devonport had not an equal capacity. for expansion with the other North "Shore boroughs, owing to the restricted area available for settlement. He,estimated the borough's capacity for expansion at oOOOadditional residents, a figure which might be substantially increased through the erection of multiple unit dwellings, for -which the borough was well suited. . ',

Witness said there had been allegations that the cost of living in Devonport had been prejudicially affected by lack of direct transport, but inquiries substantiated the fact that prices were practically the same on both sides of the harbour, and the councillors saw no reason to suppose that the dependence on the ferries had inflated the cost of living in the borough. Satisfactory Ferries. Dealing with vehicular and' passenger ferries, witness said the passenger timetable was regarded as reasonably frequent, and the conduct was efficient and satisfactory. On the vehicular ferry there was congestion at times in summer, but normally the service was regarded as reasonable. Mr. Aldridge analysed the ferry charges, and said his council knew of no other transport charges in Auckland at all comparable with them, and believed they compared favourably with anything in the Dominion. He instanced his own case as a season ticket holder for a household of seven persons, the figure quoted being one penny per head per day. After setting out. the borough's financial position, rating values, etc., Mr. Aldridge said the council considered that the existing obligations of the borough ought to preclude the ratepayers from undertaking any new large commitments in respect of a bridge. ' Assuming that 50 per cent of the Devonport people would travel by the bridge, then the diversions would curtail the ferry service or put up costs and that would seriously affect the borough. He pointed out as an impor-. tant fact bearing on the cost of transport in Devonport that though certain of the residents had to take the bus to get to the ferry at the present time, detailed tables taken by the borough traffic inspector showed that 65 to 70 per cent or the population of the borough was independent of the buses, and for that proportion the ferry charges were the sole transport expense. He stated that the fully loaded capacity of Devonport's bus fleet was 250 passengers. This catered for the transport requirements of ferries loaded with over 1200 people. Financed By Tolls. When speaking of the financial r. : =pect the witness said the council was definitely of opinion that the inclusion of Devonport in any rating district to secure loans would be unwarranted by any definite prospect of advantage. If a bridge was to be erected the council considered the burden of finance should be borne by tolls, on the principle of the user paying. Effect of Bridge on Transport. "The most important question in relation to the bridge is," said Mr. Aldridge, " How will it affect Devonport transport?" ' ' . _ . To answer this question the Council; have attempted to make a comparison between the bridge route or routes and

the ferry routes, as regards (a) disdistances, (b) fares, and (c) travelling times. Afc this stage such a comparison ■was necessarily founded on certain assumptions, and at the best only tentative, but he ventured to submit it as showing an earnest effort to assess the value of the bridge proposal to Devonport. Comparison of Distances. FERKY PASSENGER KOUTE. Devonport P.O. to City P.O. On -water 1.21 miles On land, say 0.79 miles Total 2.00 miles VEHICULAR FERRY ROUTE, One Way Only. On water 3.2 miles On land O.S miles Total 2.0 miles PROPOSED BRIDGE ROUTES. Auckland G.P.O. to Devonport P.O. A Route —Via Customs Street, Fanshawe Street, Beaumont Strtet, Bridge to centre of Shoal Bay, causeways to Bayswater Point, to Stanley Bay, to Devonport P.O. —5.009 miles. B Route —Via Customs Street, Fanshawe Street, Beaumont Street, Bridge to Northcote Point, causeways to Bays•water Point, to Stanley Point, streets to Devonport P. 0.—5.567 miles. C Customs Street, Fanshawe Street, Beaumont Street, Bridge to Xorthcote Point, via main routes through Takapuna to Devonport P. 0.-—10.535 miles. Thus, by the shortest proposed bridge route, the travelling distance is multiplied by 2J in the case of both passengers and vehicles. The Northcote Point site involves nearly three times the present travelling distance. ' If causeways are not sanctioned, and no shorter road access to the Northcote Point bridge head is constructed than the present main read through Takapuna, then the travelling distance is multiplied over five times. Distances from the main centres of population in the borough by the "A route" as as follows:— Miles. (1) Cheltenham Beach, via Matai Road, Talnui Road, and Albert Road .. 5.794 (2) Vaushall Store, via Albert Road 5.484 (3) Narrow Neck, via Vauxhall Road 6.164 (4) King's Store, via Lake Road .. 6.024 (5) Stanley Bay Wharf 3.809 Comparison of Passenger Fares. The council had calculated a table of bus fares over these routes calculated at .92d. per mile, which we understand is the average on through fares by concession card on the North Shore Transport Co.'s services, and compared them with the existing ferry and bus fares. Ferry fares are taken at 3d per trip, being the actual fare on concession cards. A large number of passengers, however, travel on season tickets, the fares on which work out in many cases at much less than 3d per trip, and are said to average only 2d. Bridge Ferry 9 and bus and bus A. From Cheltenham beach' 5.33 d 5d B. From VauxhaU Road .. 6.15 d 5d C. From Narrow Neck .... 6.67 d 54d D. From King's Store, via Lake Road 6.54 d s§d Ferry only. E. From Stanley Bay .Wharf 4.5 d 3d F. From Devonport Ferry landing 5.6 d 3d

Assuming, therefore, that the bridge is on the Shoal Bay site, with access by causeways, Devonport passengers by the bridge route may expect to incur increases of 20 per cent and upwards in travelling costs. The increase would be at least Id per fare extra. Assessing that a?, the average increase on 5500 Devonport passengers each way, the extra cost to the borough would total £16,500 per annum. Taking into account ferry season tickets it is inferred that the aggregate extra cost of passenger transport would exceed £50,000 per annum.

Again, to shift passengers at peak hours as expeditiously as one ferry licensed to carry 1600 passengers probably 40 large buses would be required. The large, capital to provide these buses would have to be provided by someone. It has been stated that 50 per cent of Devonport's passengers would travel via the bridge. Having regard to the "costs of bus transport as against ferry transport, the council conclude that. bus traffic to Devonport via the bridge would be small. Assuming, however,, that 50 per cent of the traffic was diverted from the ferry, then the diversion would lead either to a curtailment of the ferry service or an increase in the cost of. travel. That would seriously affect the borough. The contrast is accentuated if the bridge site is at .Northcote Point, because the travelling distance is longer by another half mile than the "A route." If the proposed causeways are not constructed, then the bridge route would certainly be prohibitive for ordinary passenger traffic. The comparative fares would be:— C Route Comparison. Bridge to Northcote Point and access through Takapuna by Main Koads. Bridge Ferry and bus. and bus. Cheltenham Beach ]0d 5d Vauxhall Store lOd 3d Narrow Neck Beach. ]0d sid Kind's Store lOd sjd Stanley Bay Wharf lid 3d 7 ' Deronport P.O 10.69 d 3d Comparison of Car Travelling Costs. . Via the shortest bridge route, i.e., "A .route," 5.009 miles. The average running costs' of car are taken at 3.5 d per mile. Costs of travelling return from P.O. Devonport to G.P.0., Auckland:— 5.009 miles at 3.5 d x 2 35 06d Add Bridge Toll—say 1/ return 12d' Total 47.06 d (Say 4/) By Ferry— 24 tickets for £1 12/, and this includes driver's fare—Return trip 2/8 1.6 miles is on land at 3.5 d per mile .. 5.6 d 2.4 miles is on water where there is a saving only of benzine and tyres; this equals 2.4 miles at 3Jd, S.4d; less id mile for tyres and Id mile for benzine, S.Gd 4.Sd Total 3/6.4 Via the B Route (Xorthcote Point site, with access along causeways to Bayswater and Stanley Bay). Distance, 5.567 miles. 5.567' miles at 3.5 d x 2 Post Office to P.O 3/3 Add Bridge toll 1/ '•<.;■.. .... ~ 4/3 Ferry charge as above 3/G.l Via C Route (site at Northcote Point, access by existing main road through Takapuna). 10.535 i Cost return trip, 10.535 miles at 3.5(1 x 2 6/1.75 Add Bridge toll 1/ 7/1.75 Ferry charge as above 3/6.4

From the standpoint of strict economy the comparison shows a balance in favour of the existing ferry route, wherever the bridge may be, but in the case of the A route and B route the private car owner would not look at the matter from the strict cost's standpoint. The C route will rot serve Devonport private car owners conveniently and at reasonable cost, but Takapuna vehicular traffic would be diverted, and Devonport car owners might be left, dependent on a reduced, vehicular ferry service. The effect depends entirely on -which bridge proposal if adopted.

Goods Transport COMPARISON CARTAGE OF GOODS. Bridge (shortest route) and Ferry. Cartage taken at 1/3 per ton mile, which. Is stated to be a low average. Calculated from Post Office, Devonport to Post Office, Auckland, additional distances by road would be practically constant to both. VIA BRIDGE. VIA FERRY. Load of One Ton on a 11ton Truck — 5 miles at 1/3 6/3 Ferry and HarBridse toll, say 1/ bour Board '.Tolls 3/3 .8 miles on road at 1/3 per ton mile 1/ 7/3 ■ 4/s" Load Two Tons on Three-ton Truck — 5 miles at 2/6 12/6 Ferry and Hartell, say 1/ bour Board toll "/ a .8 miles on road at 1/3 per ton mile 1/11 isTr 7/8 Load Three Tons on Three-ton Truck — 5 miles at 3/9 18/9 Ferry and HarBridge toll, say 1/ bour Board toll < / .8 miles on. road 2/11 1979 9/ 11 Load Four Tons on Four-ton Truck— 5 miles at 5/ 25/ Ferry and HarBridge toll, say 1/ bour Board .8 miles on road .... 3/10 20/ is7r Load Four Tons on Five-ton Truck — 5 miles at 5/ 25/ Ferry and HarBridqe toll, say 1/ hour Board toll iu/» .8 miles on road 3/10 267" • " /7 Load Five Tons on Five-ton Truck — 5 miles at 6/3 31/3 Ferry and HarBridse toll, say 1/ bour Board toll I*/ .8 miles on road 4/10 32/S 16/10 Comparison of Travelling Times. As in the case of fares, this comparison depends upon the Bridge route. Passenger Ferry Travelling Time. — The usual time from wharf to Devonport wharf is approximately 15 minutes; to Stanley Bay wharf, 8 minutes.

Vehicular Ferry.—Landing to landing (approximate), 10 minutes. Via Bridge.—A Route: 5.009 miles at 20 miles per hour, 15 minutes. B Route: 5.567 miles at 20 miles per hour, lfi minutes. C Route: 10.535 miles at 20 miles per hour, 31 minutes. So far, therefore, as travelling itme is concerned, there is no economy by time by any route, and the C route is out of the question. The outstanding objections to-the ferry service are that the public do not like changing from bus to ferry and ferry to bus, and the service is intermittent. The result is loss of time of the passenger or vehicle. In summer, when there is an influx of vehicular traffic, that loss of waiting time is annoying and sometimee considerable. Bus passengers by the Bridge route would, of course, suffer in some degree from the same sort of thing. One advantage of the bridge to Devonport would be the elimination of those delays so far as concerns residents owning private cars, and that road connection with the city would be continuous, day and night, whereas now the vehicular service ceases from 11 p.m. until 7 a.m. The frequency of the passenger ferry service seems to make this question of waiting time of little importance in the case of passenger traffic. ■ .. •

Council's Summarised Conclusions. After this survey the Council summarise their conclusions as to the effect of the Bridge:— (a) Effect depends entirely on the site, and whether the proposed causeways are sanctioned. The C route is so roundabout that it would not attract" or affect any class of Devonpors traffic, but if the causeways are sanctioned the A or B route would affect our transport. (b) No route would produce any advantage for the purposes of general passenger transport; but diversion of Takapuna passengers now brought by bus to the ferry landing may lead to some curtailment of service or increase of fares. (c) Any route may divert tourist traffic through opening new beaches at present inaccessible. (d) Owners of private cars would use the A or B routes. Advantage is plain for them, but they represent; .only a small proportion of the population. (e) Vehicular ferry will remain the most economical route, and probablv goods vehicles will stick to that route for that reason. But diversion of Takapuna traffic might lead to curtailment of the vehicular service to Devonport.

(f) The policy of the Harbour Board with regard to the payment of annual costs of ferry wharves (including interest, sinking fund, working expenses and maintenance) is in accord with the decision of a Royal Commission set up in 1925 to consider the matter, presided over by Mr. J. S. Barton, S.M., which laid down the principle that the proportion of the costs , to be paid by the ferry users should be 32-47 th? of the total annual cost. This revenue is at present collected from the Devon port 'Steam Ferry Company by a scries of berthage charges based on the carrying capacities of the respective passenger vessels and on the cost of goods by tolls on vehicles ■ plus a daily charge for berthage on the vehicular ferries. If through diversion of traffic by the competition of a bridge the ferry ana vehicular traffic were reduced, the probability is that all rates would have to be increased to maintain the present aggregate of 32-47ths as the ferry users proportion of annual costs. This would be detrimental to Devonport. In any case the annual charges on these existing facilities would have to be borne by the community. After dealing with other aspects of the case, Mr. Aldridge said the question presented many aspects for Devonport. The bridge idea, exercised a strong attraction on the North Shore. Sympathy was more common than analysis. The council, as trustees for the ratepayers and inhabitants, had had regard to the undoubted importance of the question and had done its best to present an impartial, dispassionate analysis of the proposals as they affected the borough. The chairman . commented upon the valuable quality of the evidence submitted by Mr. Aldridge and the Devonport Borough Council. Mr. G. P. Fin lay, counsel for the Auckland Bridge Association, asked for time to 'examine the facte placed before the commission, and it was agreed that cross-examination of .the witness should be deferred till Friday, morning^