NORTH PAPANUI BUS SERVICE

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27500, 6 November 1954, Page 10

NORTH PAPANUI BUS SERVICE

RESIDENTS PROTEST AT WITHDRAWAL

The withdrawal of the Christchurch Transport Board’s buses on the run from Papanui to the Cranford street extension, has not found favour with many North Papanui residents. Residents at a recent meeting of the North Papanui Residents' and Ratepayers’ Association protested strongly at. the withdrawal of this service.

The board was recently given permission by the Metropolitan Licensing Authority to run a service between these two points, but this decision was later set aside by the Transport Licensing Appeal Authority (Judge Archer) in favour of Midland Motorways Services Ltd. The meeting, of the association contended that ratepayers own toe transport board , buses and should not be denied their use. A statement suplied by tod interim secretary of the association (Mr F. E. Drain) says that residents were now forced to use a privately-owned country service' at an increased cost of 3s 3d a fortnight. Several residents at the meeting spoke of toe convenience of toe board’s buses while they were operating on the Main North Road. Seats were always available—which was not the case on the other service—and the timetable was convenient. Parents had been using toe board's service to transport their children to toe Winters road school from the Papanui shopping area at a nominal tare. Factory staff in the area were inconvenienced by toe withdrawal of the service, as were pupils attending St. Bede’s College and St. Joseph’s Convent. “The major inconvenience to business people is r 'sed by the bus not going near enough to their destination and their not being able to catch a bus from toe city between 5.45 pun. and 7 pun. Some residents are walking or cycling to Papanui daily to catch the bus there,’’ said toe statement

The association intends calling a public meeting early next month to discuss toe transport service and other matters such as high-pressure water and other services.