Assistance for bus services

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33062, 1 November 1972, Page 3

Assistance for bus services

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, October 31. Financial assistance totalling almost $950,000 has been allocated to operators of urban passenger transport services, as loans or grants for capital expenditure.

This was announced today by the chairman, of the Urban Public Passenger Transport Council (Mr R. J. Polaschek), as a result of a meeting of the council held last Friday. The council, in its initial year, has been authorised by the Government to allocate slm to assist , urban passenger operators with capital purchases and research.

Mr Polaschek said that at its meeting the council had considered applications from 18 operators who were seeking assistance towards projects totalling more than s2m. Projects outlined in the applications included the purchase of buses, the erection of bus shelters, alterations to depots and workshops, and other related expenditure. Because of the large amount of assistance sought, by no means all applications could be met in full, and numerous factors had to be taken into account when priorities for assistance were being determined. Applicants would be advised of the council’s deci-

sions as soon as possible, and any remaining funds would probably be allocated at the council’s next meeting.