COUNTRY BUS ROUTES

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22201, 18 September 1937, Page 14

COUNTRY BUS ROUTES

ONE BIG SERVICE PLANNED COMPANIES ALREADY MERGED PASSENGER FARES REDUCED One big bus station operating all road passenger services between the city and country districts, with a big central terminal for the arrival and departure of buses, is an objective of the No. 3 Transport Licensing Authority, Mr T. H. Langford. One important feature of the scheme is the reduction of passenger fares on many routes. Mr Langford announced yesterday that he had been successful in arranging for Midland Motorways, Ltd., to purchase a number of passenger services from the city to the country. This was part of a plan to give the public a uniform type of service, with a central station for outgoing passenger traffic, thus elimination overlapping of services, reducing the hours of "vehicle-idle-ness" to a minimum, and lowering the passenger fares. Manhire's Belfast-Christchurch service was the first taken over, Mr Langford said, at a price satisfactory to all parties. This service was now incorporated with the KaiapoiChristchurch run. The public had a service that was definitely better both in the time-table and accommodation, and fares had been reduced. The old fare from Belfast to Christchurch was Is 9d return, or 12 rides for 9s. This had been reduced to Is 6d return, or six rides for 4s. The amalgamation had also permitted a reduction of sixpence in the Kaiapoi-Christchurch run. From next Monday Midland Motorways, Ltd., would operate Holland's Amberley service, another link in the chain of the company's expanding services. Here again a better time-table and a fare reduction was made practicable. The return fare to Amberley would be reduced by Is, and intermediate fares would also be reduced. An additional mid-day trip to Woodend would be made, the fare for this journey having been fixed at six rides for Bs. This was Is 4d a ride, compared with 2s 6d under the old system. The Lowis Motors Round-the-Bays service had also been taken over, and the possibility of a reduction in fares was under consideration. There need be no fear of monopoly operating to the detriment of the public, Mr Langford said, as the Licensing Authority had \he sole right of decision on fares and timetables and the interests of the people in general were adequately safeguarded. ____________