FEEDER SERVICE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 53, 4 March 1930, Page 8

FEEDER SERVICE.

NO THROUGH BUSES. AVONDALE AND BLOCKHOUSE.

TRAMS TO BE UTILISED.,

ESTIMATED PROFIT,

TRANSPORT BOARD DISCUSSION,

With the extension of the trams from Grey Lynn to the hall corner at Pt. Chevalier—a route which will be opened at the end of the present month —the Auckland Transport Board has had under consideration the fate of the through services from the city to Avondale and Blockhouse Bay. At this morning's meeting of the board the manager (Mr. A. E. Ford) reported that.; the most economical and efficient means of providing adequate transport for both districts would be by the provision of a cheap and adequate service of feeder buses as follows: — 1. For Blockhouse Bay by a bus feeder service to Mount Albert tram terminus. 2. For Avondale by a bus feeder service to the Hall corner, Pt. Chevalier route. Tlic report continued as follows: — "The present fare from Blockhouse Bay to the Mount Albert tram terminus is 3d cash, or 4/5 for a 12-trip concession card. The tram fare from Mount Albert terminus to the city is also 5d cash, or 4/5 for a 12-trip concession card, making the 'through' fare 10d cash, or by concession card 8 5-Gd. "It is recommended that a feeder service only be run between Blockhouse Bay and the Mount Albert tram terminus, and that the fare over this distance be reduced from 5d cash to 3d cash, or by concession card from 4 5-12 d to 2 2-3 d. This will reduce the 'through' fare to the city from lOd cash to 8d cash, or by concession card from 8 5-Gd to 7 l-12d. "When Blockhouse Bay was served by a privately-operated service, the fare to the city was 1/3 single, 1/9 return. The distance from Blockhouse Bay to the Mount Albert tram terminus is 3.96 miles, via Taylor Street, and 3.2G miles via Manukau Road, and the through distance from Blockhouse Bay to the city is. 8.46 miles via Taylor Street, and 7.76 miles via Manukau Road. Under the proposed scale the rate of fare per mile by cash will be .94d and 1.03 d respectively, while the concession card rate will be .83d and .91d respectively.

Avondale Service. "The present fare from Avondale to the city is Sd cash, or 7/ for a 12-trip concession card. The fare from Avondale to the hall corner is 4d cash, or by concession card 3M. It is recommended that the fare on the feeder bus between Avondale and the hall corner be 2d cash, or by 12-trip concession card 1 3-4 d. This will make the 'through' fare between Avondale and the city 7d cash, or 6 1-Od by concession card. When Avondale was served by a privately-operated • service the fare was 9d single, 1/3 return. The distance from the city to the bus terminus at Avondale is 7.07 miles. The rate of fare per mile under the proposed rate will bo .99d by cash, and .87d by concession card. "So as to facilitate passengers transferring between bus and tram, it is recommended that up-to-date changing stations with rest rooms and conveniences, somewhat in conformity with the plan submitted, he provided at the rail heads with a permanent attendant on duty. Such changing stations not only go a long way in ensuring proper connection between bus and tramcar, but also reduce annoying waits to the minimum. sufficient tramcars (now under construction) are available for peak traffic in a few months' time, it is proposed to institute minimum fare cars to connect with the feeder buses, thus obviating any overcrowdings of trams to the exclusion of the feeder bus passengers." % Time Occupied. The report Went on to state iby the present through bus service the time occupied was 32 .minutes and. by the suggested service an aditional eight minutes would be required. In regard to the Blockhouse Bay service the buses now took 40 minutes for the journey and 4G minutes would be the the time under the new running. In respect to Point Chevalier,.it was stated that during the time the track was being constructed from the hall corner to the beacli a feeder bus service would be provided and a special combined tram and bus ticket would be -Issued at a price equivalent to what would be the fare when the trams were running through from the beach. Receipts and Expenditure. Estimates ot receipts and expenditure were submitted, it being out that they had been based conservatively, nothing being allowed for any increase of travellers. In regard to Blockhouse Bay, the estimated value of direct^ fares on "feeder buses was set out as £1905 10/; and the estimated value of fares brought to the trams by feeder buses £3406— a total of £5311 10/. The estimated cost of operation of feeder buses only was '£6883, the difference being expressed in a loss of £1571 10/. Fares on feeder buses in respect to tlie Avondale service were estimated at £5368, and the value of fares brought to the trams by the feeder buses £14,024—a total of £19,392. The estimated cost of operation of feeder buses only was set down at £13,552, the difference representing a profit of £5840. The profit over both feeder routes and connecting trams was estimated at ; £4268 10/. Debit Excluded. "In these estimates," stated Mr. Ford, "a debit has purposely been excluded for the cost of operating the trams, as against the revenue derived from the passengers brought to the trams by the feeder buses, owing to the fact that the trams are run to their respective termini irrespective of the feeder bus service, and a comparatively small amount of extra tram mileage would have to be run to meet the traffic required. When considering these proposed feeder services, I should like it to be fully realised'that conditions will in a few months be much improved, insomuch that the board will have a sufficient number of trams to carry the people during peak hours, without undue overcrowding. "Twenty-five tramcars are under construction, and some of them will be on the road in a few days' time, the balance beinc delivered at comparatively short intervals. Four years have elapsed since a new tramcar was constructed and put into service, and during this time most of the opposition .to the feeder bus sys-. tem has taken place. The public should

bear in mind the fact that the provision of sufficient cars, suitable changing stations and sufficient buses to provide a frequent connection will, in connection with a general improvement in supervision following upon this, result in the minimum of inconvenience where a change -from one vehicle to another is concerned. "The economy resulting by the operation of feeder services permits of a cheaper and more frequent service being provided in these outlying districts." The chairman (Mr. A. J. Entrican) moved the adoption of the report. Report Discussed. Mr. E. H. Potter opposed. Feeder buses, he said, did not give adequate service to the residents. He knew he would not be in a majority on the board in his attitude, but he would voice a protest. The estimated Blockhouse Bay loss would be distributed over the whole of the tramway service. They had already increased fares to the extent of £30,000 in regard to the increase of cost in concession tickets. Private services had capital at call, while the board would have to go before the ratepayers for a fleet of buses if they were required. Mr. M. J. Covle: Are you against the whole of the report. Mr. Potter: Yes. The committee by a majority report was in favour of Mr. Ford's recommendations, but he (Mr. Potter) was safeguarding the interests of the ratepayers. A Voice: Question. Mr. Potter said he had information and reports from England to the effect that municipalities wished to go back to private enterprise. Wellington also had made a big loss. Two applicants, both reputable linns, had applied to run the services. A Voice: Feeder services? Mr. Potter said certainly not. Feeder bus services would never give satisfaction. Blockhouse Bay was outside the tramway area. A penal fare. was in existence and that was a safeguard to the tramway service. Mr. G. G." Ashley said the report had much more in it than "feeder" services. A Voice: Oh, let him get it off his chest! Company's Representative. Mr. Bryce Hart, representing the Auckland Bus Company, was heard in support of the company's application to run a service to and from Blockhouse Bay to the city. The company had assured him that they could make the service pay. Already the company had converted the New Lynn and Henderson service, which they had taken over from, the board, from a losing proposition to a paying one. When the found they were losing too much he advised them to come back to private enterprise. Mr. Covle asked whether the company would run a feeder service. Mr. Hart: Yes. The report was adopted. Mr. Potter being the only dissentient. He desired to have his name recorded in the minutes as an opponent. The applications of the Auckland Bus Company and M. M. Karews for authority to run the service from Blockhouse Bay to the city were rejected, but permission was given applicants to reapply for the running of feeder services, their applications having been for through services only.