SUBURBAN RAIL FARES

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27666, 24 May 1955, Page 9

SUBURBAN RAIL FARES

NEW STRUCTURE APPROVED INTRODUCTION IN ABOUT TWO MONTHS Suburban train fares will be altered in about two months to a new zone mileage system which, according to railways officers, will modernise and speed up the issuing of tickets at stations and on trains. The alteration will, in general, increase return fares by a few pence and decrease single fares—for some trips there is a slight reduction' in fared. Qn the new system single fares will cost exactly half the return fare. The three services from Christchurch to Lyttelton, Rangiora, and Burnham will be affected by the change. The single fare from Christchurch to Lyttelton will, under the new system, cost Is (compared with the present rate of Is 2d) and the return rare will be 2s (against Is lOd at present). Guards who formerly carried collections of tickets for all the intermediate stations on the three lines will now carry a sort of “doubles chart” and only 11 types of tickets. From the chart they will find the number of the station and the fare and then punch the appropriate numbers and classes on the new ticket

The aim of the Railways Department was not to increase revenue by the changes in the fare structure, said an officer yesterday. It had been estimated that most passengers would pav

little more and over-all there might be a slight decrease. Most suburban travellers who bought tickets on the train were casual passengers and, as workers’ weekly tickets and other concession cards would not be changed, regular passengers were not affected. No date has yet been announced for the introduction of the new fares, but officers think that about two months would be needed for tickets to be ordered and printed. Dunedin and Wellington suburban lines are already operating the new system and Auckland will introduce it very soon. Costing of the new fares has been done on a zone mileage basis: one to three miles, four to five, six to seven, eight to 10, 11 to 16, 17 to 20. Examples of the new fares, with the old rates in parenthesis, are: Christchurch to Opawa: 5d single, lOd return (6d single and 8d return); to Woolston, 5d and lOd (7d and lOd); to Heathcote, 8d and Is 4d (lOd and Is 3d); Lyttelton, Is and 2s (Is 2d and Is lOd). Christchurch to Riccarton: 6d single, lOd return (7d single and lOd return); to Bryndwr, 8d and Is 4d (8d and Is Id); Papanui, 8d and Is 4d (lOd and Is 3d); Styx, Is and 2s (Is 2d and Is lOd); to Belfast, Is 3d and 2s 6d (Is 5d and 2s Id); Chaneys, Is 3d and 2s 6d (Is 6d and 2s 4d); Stewart’s Gully, Is fid and 3s (Is lOd and 2s 8d); to Kaiapoi, Is 9d and 3s fid (2s and 3s); to Flaxton, is 9d and 3s fid (2s 2d and 3s sd); to Southbrook, 2s 2d and 4s 4d (2s 7d and 3s lid); to Rangiora, 2s 4d and 4s 8d (2s 8d and 4s 3d). Christchurch to Addington: 5d and lOd (fid and 8d); to Middleton, 8d and Is 4d (8d and Is Id); Sockburn, 8d and Is 4d (lOd and Is 3d); to Hornby, Is and 2s (Is Id and Is 7d); to Lincoln, Is and 2s (Is 2d and Is lOd); Templeton, Is 3d and 2s fid .(Is 5d and 2s id); Weedons, Is 6d and 3s (Is lid and 2s 9d); Rolleston, Is 9d and 3s fid (2s and 3sl, to Burnham, 2s 2d and 4s 4d (2s fid and 3s 8d).