URBAN TRANSPORT SERVICES

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31754, 10 August 1968, Page 40

URBAN TRANSPORT SERVICES

Committee Of Inquiry

To Be Convened

(New Zealand Press Association’

WELLINGTON, August 9.

The Minister of Transport (Mr Gordon) announced today that the Government had decided to set up a committee of inquiry into ways of providing a balanced and efficient passenger transport system for urban communities in New Zealand.

Speaking at Papatoetoe, Mr Gordon said the Government had in mind an inquiry along the lines of the Sheat committee’s investigation into roading.

This investigation had led to the emergence of the National Roads Board.

Mr Gordon said: “I will be approaching interested parties in the very near future soliciting their nominations for membership of this committee.

It was intended that the inquiry would provide answers to the following points:

What standard of public transport was necessary to meet the reasonable needs of a balanced and efficient passenger transport system for urban communities in New Zealand.

What financial and organisational arrangements would be necessary to achieve such a standard taking into account the following matters:

(1) What levels of service were required for large and medium communities to ensure a reasonable balance between public and private transport and what improvements if any should be made to existing services to bring them up to these levels. (2) What steps, if any.

should be taken to ensure appropriate patronage of public passenger services. (3) What further provision should be made for the proper integration of public transport with town planning in New Zealand.

(4) What changes, if any, were necessary in the present methods of providing capital for, and meeting the operating costs of, public passenger transport services in urban communities.

(5) The most suitable type of organisation to secure the future sound management and better co-ordination of publie passenger services in urban areas, and the scope for the operation of these services by or under contract to a territorial local authority or authorities, or any other public body. Mr Gordon said the Government was concerned with the problems and difficulties facing urban passenger transport operators throughout the country. ‘A Long Job’ But, he said: “This is likely to be a long job. If it is to be done thoroughly and well it cannot be rushed.” The Minister said 54.2 m was lost on all publicly-owned ur-

ban passenger services for the year 1966-67—of which local or regional authorities lost sl.6m.

I “This represents a serious financial drain on the railways—who are big urban passenger carriers—and on local government,” said Mr Gordon. “It poses a number of questions for the future management of these services.” i Patronage Falling Patronage of urban public passenger services by road, and rail had been falling for many years. "This has caused increasing financial losses to local authorities and has reduced the profits of private operators to the point where it is difficult for some of them to remain in business,” he said. “The Railways Department is bearing the largest share of the total loss—principally on its suburban rail services.”