MINI-BUSES PROPOSED

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30287, 13 November 1963, Page 8

MINI-BUSES PROPOSED

Transport Board's Opposition Any suggestion of replacing the Christchurch Transport Board’s buses by a large number of nine-passen-ger mini-buses was completely unworthy of being considered any further, said the chairman of the board’s finance committee (Mr E. J. Bradshaw), at a meeting of the committee.

The general manager (Mr J. F. Fardell) said a letter and brochure on mini-buses had been sent to the board by a firm, emphasising the advantages of a change to this system of public transport. Mr Fardell said that such a change, however, would involve tremendous operating costs and many other difficulties. Nine hundred mini-buses would be needed to replace the passenger capacity of the board’s fleet of 144 buses. Considerably more staff would be needed —another 1400 to supplement the 235 now on the staff. Each mini-bus would cost £1350. compared with £7600 for each of the buses now in use, which could hold 63 passengers The operating costs would be 3|d a mile for minibuses. against Is 2d a mile for conventional vehicles. Mr Bradshaw said the cost to the board in extra wages alone would be £1.300,000. "The whole thing is completely unworthy of being taken any further,” he said. The letter was received.