League Will Object To Otira Bus Ban

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31177, 29 September 1966, Page 14

League Will Object To Otira Bus Ban

The Canterbury Progress League will make representations to the National Roads Board to keep the Otira Gorge road open to buses.

This was decided by the league last evening, subject to a bus trip by members of the league and others invited, proving that the road was safe for buses.

The league will inquire whether buses could be piggy-backed on railway waggons through the Otira tunnel.

Mr A. L. Burk told the league that he did not think that the department would put a bus ban on the Otira Gorge road without studying the case.

The president (Mr G. R. Burrowes) said that the league would try to take arvantage of an offer by a tourist company to make a free bus trip to the Otira Gorge road next week. Mr J. M. Tocker said the league might invite Mr D. L. Hogan, district officer of the Transport Department, or the

Minister of Transport (Mr McAlpine) on the bus trip. Mr E. J. Johnston, who had introduced the subject, said the Transport Department had been trying for five years to stop buses using the road.

Mr Johnston said that much had been made of the safety aspect of buses using the gorge road. Days Motors had built a special bus for tour work. This had been run empty over the Otira Gorge road to

make sure that there was no threat to safety. Mr Johnston said that the test by the Transport Department was done by a bus company with a bus which in his opinion was not suitable for this run. He said that buses with a 70ft maximum turning circle could go through the gorge, either way, without having to back on any of the corners. Tourist accommodation was at a premium on the West Coast and maximum use had to be made of what was available, he said. The forcing of buses to go by the Lewis Pass could make such places as Harihari and Whataroa too far for a comfortable day’s trip from Christchurch. This would mean that additional accommodation built at Harihari and new accommodation built at Whataroa would not be used to the maximum. Mr Johnston said that the hotel at Bealey was also being rebuilt. This was being done to a certain extent because the owner felt he had been assured of a certain number

of tourists coming through for meals.

The same applied to the restaurant of Mr Hans Bohney at Arthur’s Pass. Tours provided the backbone of his business. Because of this trade, Mr Bohney was able to provide for those going through in private cars.

There were other roads where buses had to back—at one corner west of the Homer Tunnel, on the road to Coronet peak, a private road, and on the Grove track to Havelock from Picton. “As far as I know there are no restrictions on buses on any other roads in the country,” said Mr Johnston.

Mr E. W. F. Harrop said that one of the matters that concerned him was that bookings in Australia for South Island tours were made as far as two years ahead. This meant that these people were sold tours at a fixed price with a small margin of profit. Mr Tocker said that buses had been using the Otira Gorge route for 40 years, and no-one had ever tried to stop them before. The decision to ban buses over the route could upset 8000 tourists in the next summer season alone.