Road-rail ferry priorities

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33693, 16 November 1974, Page 16

Road-rail ferry priorities

Sir, — On October 18 I arrived at the Wellington terminal of the road-rail ferry. I was not booked and well back in the queue of those waiting for a spare space. A Brambles Freighways truck no. 312 arrived later and although it was not booked either it was put straight on to the ferry. What I would like to know is, that since either empty

trucks take priority or else another system prevails, does the Railways Department condone it? Is the department going to do something about it or is this just another case of the ordinary citizens missing out? I was so far back in the queue that I would not have got on that sailing of the ferry anyway, so that it is not a case of sour grapes. — Yours, etc..

BOATIE. November 4, 1974.

[The General Manager of Railways (Mr T. M. Small) replies: “There are only a few places on the rail ferries where trucks can be accommodated and if unbooked vehicles were allocated spaces strictly in queue order a truck could be subjected to considerable delay waiting for a suitable space. For this reason, when space is available in which trucks can be accommodated, some preference may be given to them over private cars.”]