Crowded Buses

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29749, 16 February 1962, Page 3

Crowded Buses

Sir, —The symptoms that upset "The Doc” have been apparent for some time. Does he remember those reported statements? “If conductors were carried, they would be the only passengers for most of the day.” “There is usually only one, or possibly two, busy trips per shift.” “The North Beach extension (now running and with relief buses as well) was against all transport principles.” I would suggest to “The Doc” not to worry about those external signs, but to concentrate on the internal disease. It is the more serious; but it can be cured by the light of public scrutiny on that which is now considered “confidential reports to committees.” Why not concentrate on switching on the light? The next elections might be the best time to do it.—Yours, etc., P. DASLER. February 14, 1962.

Sir, —The transport problems of Christchurch will not be solved by any additional loading, which has already, ait times, been dangerous enough. Since a bus cannot balance anywhere near as well as a train, its loading capacity is necessarily only about one-third that of a tram. Therefore, the answer is not more loading, but more buses. An even more pressing problem is that of ventilation. Our buses are hopelessly ill - ventilated, when people occupying seats stubbornly refuse to open or totally ignore the slides. Therefore buses should be built to ventilate adequately as in theatres that is to say, air-conditioned.—Yours, etc.,

R. M. THOMSON. February 14, 1962.

Sir, —It seems ridiculous to see Opawa, Radley, and Hillsborough buses sometimes trailing each other. This Hillsborough bus seems to be a waste of one vehicle at the cost, we are told, of £6OOO. Why not one bus, RadleyHillsborough? The Opawa bus terminates at the bridge; fare 9d. The Radley terminus is lOd. Why could this bus not do the round trip down Garlands road, into Tanner street, round into Curries road, then on to Opawa road south, the Id from the Opawa bridge being charged for the round trip. This would serve the people, who are despara tely in need of transport, in the new built-up area, at the foot of Port Hills road. It is more densely populated than the route the Hei-Hei bus takes to Hornby. After this bus leaves Riccarton, one seems to travel one or two miles between gorse paddocks. These don’t pay dividends to the bus users. For the last 10 or more years, a large engineering firm in the

area has hired a bus for its employees. This alone would go a fair way to the driver’s wages.—Yours, etc., THE OLD BIKE. February 15, 1962.