ROAD PASSENGER SERVICES

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23812, 4 December 1942, Page 2

ROAD PASSENGER SERVICES

DECISIONS ON TWO APPEALS

FURTHER REDUCTIONS TO BE MADE

Further curtailment of road passenger services will result from two of the decisions of the Transport Appeal Authority (Sir Francis Frazer) on appeals lodged against recent decisions of the No. 3 Transport Licensing Authority (Mr V. Raines). Decisions received in Christchurch yesterday concern the ChristchurchSouthbridge service of Day’s Motors and the Nelson-Hundalee service of Newman Bros,, Ltd., over which appeals were lodged in the name of the Minister of Transport (the Hon. R. Semple) last month on the ground of the public interest, chiefly tyre conservation. In the appeals, the Minister asked for the suspension of the Christchurch-Southbridge service and the suspension of the BlenheimClarence portion of the Nelson-Hunda-lee service.

Commenting on the ChristchurchSouthbridge service, Sir Francis Frazer states; “There appears to be no justification for the running of a morning service from Southbridge and an afternoon service from Christchurch. The railway provides suitable services for passengers desiring to travel from Southbridge to Christchurch and back on the same day. I think that the service provided for Southbridge schoolchildren could be provided by some other means than by tacking.it on to a 64-mile return trip to Christchurch. The morning service from Christchurch and the service from Southbridge appear to be necessary, and no alternative rail service is available. The licence is amended by deleting the morning trip from Southbridge and the afternoon trip from Christchurch on the understanding that the licensee shall have the right to, apply to the appropriate Transport Licensing Authority for reinstatement after the war.” Announcing his decision to amend the licence of Newman Bros., Ltd., by deleting the right to operate on the portion of the route between Blenheim and Clarence, Sir Francis Frazer states: “The railway service now operates between Blenheim and Clarence and between Hundalee and Christchurch. The road distance between Blenheim and Clarence is 60 miles. With the exception of the one trip daily each way between Nelson and Hundalee no passenger services now operate between Blenheim and Clarence. “The company asks for the continuance of the right to operate over the Blenheim-Clarence section in terms of the decision of the No. 3 Transport Licensing Authority. It bases its plea on the length of the through-journey from Nelson to Christchurch, which, if the appeal were allowed, would necessitate passengers leaving Nelson on the south-bound trip at 4.15 a.m.. and arriving in Nelson on the north-bound trip at 9,45 p.m.; with the alternative of staying in Blenheim for a night. “In view of the petrol and rubber position it does not appear that an unwarranted degree of inconvenience would be imposed on travellers if they had to choose one of these alternatives. Admittedly some inconvenience would be caused, but they would still have a fairly convenient service, which would meet all reasonable requirements under existing war-time conditions. After full consideration I think that the appeal should be allowed."