Bus service

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33261, 26 June 1973, Page 14

Bus service

Sir, —I heartily endorse remarks of Renee Stockwell (May 31). The Creyke Road service is grossly inadequate. The workers 8.25 a.m. bus is fpll and people are stand-

ing from the second stop from the Staveley Street terminus. Thereafter throughout the day there are pitifully few buses. To bring workers home from 4 p.m. onwards there are three buses — packed to the doorsteps. The Ilam/Avonhead area has spread over latter years, but we have not had our service improved, or the route extended. — Yours, STRAP-HANGER. June 2, 1973. [The General Manager of the Christchurch Transport Board (Mr J. F. Fardell) replies: “Since receipt of this letter the 8.24 a.m. and the assisting bus at 8.30 a.m. have been checked for loading and the 8.24 a.m. has only, on one occasion, been loaded to the capacity of its licensed load and the remaining days there has been capacity available, while the 8.30 a.m. assist—except for one occasion—has had less than half the seated load. The three buses after 4 p.m. have all been checked together with the assist buses at 4.49 p.m. and 5.14 p.m. and the loading results show that they have all been under capacity loads, with the exception of the 5.45 p.m. trip on June 11, 1973, which was carrying a capacity load. The question of frequency on this route is being considered with other matters relating to the Avonhead area and if any amendments are found necessary, they will be provided.”!

Sir,—With the introduction of our new one-way traffic system it may be opportune for the city transport system to make more use of the four avenues which surround the city. Suburban buses come into the city as far as one of the avenues, travel round the city, and continue to their destinations. These buses do not enter closer to the city. Complementary to these buses, two other services would be needed: an east-west and return, and a north-south and return, by the one-way streets. One route would be Barbadoes, Madras, Durham and Montreal Streets. The east-west route would be St Asaph, Lichfield, Kilmore and Salisbury Streets. Another bus could run up and down Colombo Street from avenue to avenue. Suburban bus tickets could be transferable to the inner city routes; there would be a fixed fare for casual passengers inside the four avenues for any distance. —Yours, etc., R.M.

June 1, 1973. [The General Manager of the Christchurch Transport Board (Mr J. F. Fardell) replies: “The board, in conjunction with the Christchurch City Council, is looking into the question of ‘park and ride’ facilities, but in regard to the bus services travelling as suggested above, it would mean that those people who wanted to get into the city centre would have to transfer from one bus to another and all experience shows that bus passengers object to having to get off one bus and take another, when previously they have been able to travel on one bus. What is really wanted to help the bus services is priorities for bus movement as is being done in major cities overseas whereby, at peak time travelling, ‘busonly’ lanes are provided to allow the free movement of the buses while certain vehicles have pre-empting devices to give them priority at traffic control lights. There are cities where buses operate against the one-way flows in special bus lanes to give them clear movement, and speedier runs. I thank ‘R.M.’ for his views which will be considered when the ‘park and ride’ matters are under review.”]