Precipitate Criticism Of Tunnel Toll Claimed

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30406, 3 April 1964, Page 12

Precipitate Criticism Of Tunnel Toll Claimed

Critics of the Christchurch-Lyttelton Road Tunnel Authority’s toll charges should give the authority a chance to get on its feet, said Mr L. G. Amos at a meeting of the authority yesterday.

The tunnel had been in use for only five weeks, and it illbehoved those bodies which had worked for

the building of the tunnel to start criticising. They should give the authority 12 months to find its feet.

Mr Amos said he was not a great lover of tolls, but a deal had been made with the Government and the authority had to go ahead.

It seemed odd to hear some “very responsible” persons making critical statements about the tolls. Mr Amos said the authority should seek the co-operation of the wool carriers. It should ask them to table before the authority a list of what it considered to be fair toll charges. The authority commended the attitude of the Chamber of Commerce, which had de-

ferred action on the subject of tolls for 12 months. The authority decided to do the same. “Merely Details” Any difficulties concerning the toll system on the Christchurch-Lyttelton tunnel road were merely ones of detail and administration, said a joint committee chairman of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, Mr

W. G. V. Fernie, at the chamber’s monthly meeting last evening. The tunnel, he said, had not been in operation long enough for other factors to be revealed. “Until greater use has been made of the tunnel, we have nothing further to add to our original report,” he said. The committee’s report was adopted without discussion.