REVENUE INCREASE FOR TRANSPORT BOARD

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32639, 22 June 1971, Page 3

REVENUE INCREASE FOR TRANSPORT BOARD

Passenger revenue for the Christchurch Transport Board for the month ended May 23 increased $33,960, or 30.5 per cent, compared with the same period the year before, the board was told at its meeting yesterday.

The chairman of the finance committee (Mr S. E. Boanas) said the increase was brought about by a fare rise in August last year; fine weather during the school holidays, and the increase in the buying of trip cards in. anticipation of a fare rise in May.

Also, a stop-work meeting on May 11 last year reduced the income in that period about $3OOO, said Mr Boanas. There was a working loss of $18,748 for the four weeks, compared with the loss of $19,097 in the same

period last year, and the deficiency to date amounted to $83,773, an increase of $23,091 on last year. The Transport Workers’ Award would expire in August and the union had sought increases in wages for operators, linesmen and others, and increases in special payments rates, said Mr Boanas.

As the employing authorities were unable to accept the claims in full, the matter would have to be referred to the Conciliation Council.

The board approved the finance committee’s recommendation that the general manager (Mr J. F. Fardell) act as the board’s assessor when the matter came to conciliation. Extensions declined . Requests for an improved service to Mairehau Road, Burwood, and for an extension of the Cashmere route were declined by the board on the recommendation of

the works and traffic committee.

A Burwood resident had submitted a petition for an improved service to Mairehau Road, and' this had been supported by the Burwood Residents’ Association, which had asked for a service on Saturdays and Sundays after films at night. A survey showed that an extension of services was not feasible at present but, because of the growing development in other areas of north New Brighton, a survey was being made of the use of all services in the area to see if a better coverage could be provided without using extra vehicles and staff, said the chairman of the

works and traffic committee (Mr P. D. Dunbar). A Cashmere resident asked for all Valley Road services to run to the comer of Cashmere Road and Hoon Hay Road to give a more frequent service and to cater for Thorrington School.

This was declined on the grounds that the extension could not be provided without additional vehicles and men and the potential patronage would not justify this, said Mr Dunbar.