RAILWAY SERVICES

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25734, 21 February 1949, Page 2

RAILWAY SERVICES

Sir, —Latest published announcement. Lewis Pass bus service (railways) reads: Christchurchrßeefton, Mon.. Thur., returning Tues., Fri., which seems to tally with the information supplied to “Traveller” at Greymouth and found to be incorrect. The incident furnishes an excellent reason for re-publishing a comprehensive road and bus time-table (last issue dated May. 1943). If the Railways Department (and Government Printer) demur, what about handing the job to the South island Local Dodies Association? Here are some further examples of little known but convenient services; railway bus, connecting with mail trains and saving one and a half hours jourpey time; Kaikoura-Blenheim (local) bus service; Sunday bus, Dunedin-r Christchurch; three services (Sundays), Ti-maru-Christchurch. The Dunedin relief express ran unadvertised, February 5, with heaps of room and seat reservations thus a racket. —Yours, etc., ANOTHER TRAVELLER. February 14, 1949. The departmental reply to tfiis letter follows: “The railway road services new time-table, providing for a bus to run each way between Christchurch and Westport via the Lewis Pass, came into operation in December last and was preceded by regular advertisements appearing in the local newspapers. The running of this service is now well known to the travelling public. “The Otira-Hokitika service has been in operation for a considerable time and posters advertising this service are now exhibited at all booking offices throughout New Zealand. In addition, all booking clerk? have beep circularised instructing them that the attention of any passengers booking to Hokitika is to be drawn to the running of this service. “The running of the relief express from Christchurch to Dunedin on February 5 was included in the railways time-table published daily in both the local newspapers and in addition all booking offices and agencies throughout the country are always advised of the running of additional express trains. “The issue of a pocket guide giving details of rail and road services is engaging the attention of tfie department and it is intended to have thia book made available to the public as soon as arrangements can be made. It is certainly not the intention of the department to wait until the Government Printer is able to undertake the work; but several printing firms already approached are unable, through pressure of other work, to undertake the printing of the pocket guide for some time to come. “Ip the meantime, the department has issued folders giving particulars of the express time-tables in both islands and these folders are available for supply to any passengers requiring this information.”