No School Bus Trips Over Otira Route

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32304, 23 May 1970, Page 8

No School Bus Trips Over Otira Route

School bus trips over the Otira Gorge Road to the West Coast will be stopped “in the meantime,” it was decided at yesterday’s meeting of the Canterbury Education Board. A long discussion was held by board members on a report from the board’s professional committee which said that, in view of the possible danger to school pupils, it was necessary to decline any further application from schools in the area for school trips on the road. Mr R. A. Gibb (Hokitika ward member) said that the board could be placing itself in a position where it would have to back up its statement. “We could be open to a bit of criticism,” he said. The district senior in-

spector of primary schools (Mr B. R. Wilson) said the issue was not a criticism of the National Roads Board’s decision to reopen the road. It was important to remember that while the road journey might be considered satisfactory for training college and other senior people it was not so for other groups. “The board has a great many opportunities to engage on school journeys without having to engage on trips causing psychological stress to some,” he said. A member of the board’s transport committee said that complaints received from parents about other roads in the board’s area indicated that there “wasn’t a road in the country as dangerous as the Otira Gorge Road.” “I commend the professional committee on its decision," Mrs R. Cowell said.

Commenting later, Mr Gibb said that the board’s decision would run contrary to the National Roads Board, which was agitating for increased use of the road.

“This action might scare the public off using the road at all,” he said.

Education Board's Tour

i Eleven schools a day will be covered by 15 members of the Canterbury Education Board during a tour of southern wards of the board from June 8-12.

“When we say we will go—we mean we will go,” one member of the board commented when told of the tour at the meeting of the board yesterday.

The board’s general manager (Mr W. P. Spencer) said “up to the minute" timing would be necessary if all schools were to be covered.