Congratulations on free buses

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33883, 1 July 1975, Page 18

Congratulations on free buses

The Christchurch Transport Board’s free bus service, which begins today, has been welcomed by the Minister of Transport (Sir Basil Arthur).

Sir Basil commended! the Christchurch City Council, and the business and commercial community of the city, for their courage and foresight in making the service possible. “If the service receives the, support from the people of Christchurch which it should, there will be a saving ini fuel as people use the bus rather than their cars. “It will ease traffic congestion. particularly in the city centre, and reduce in-city traffic, making the city a far more pleasant place," said Sir Basil. "Finally, the generosity of

| the business community has meant that the public will] be encouraged to use their own public passenger services, and this can bring 1 'only good to the services,! and to the Transport Board which runs them.” The Acting Minister for the! Environment (Mr Walding) 1 : congratulated the board, the! ’ City Council and the business' , and commercial community i on their foresight. ; “Such a project needs the support of the community as . a whole. Here is an oppor- ' tunity for every vehicle ■ owner who normally drives • to work or shops in the city I centre to something positive in the pursuit of a better f environment,” said Mr Wald-

ihe two specially painted* buses will, between them, run 56 complete circuits of a 1.3-mile route each week day, plus an additional 241 circuits on late shopping! nights. Such measures were neces-; sary to avoid the heart of!

the city dying because ofj thrombosis of its traffic arterjies, and a bonus would be the saving in imported fuel, ■ said the convener of the marketing committee of the! , Christchurch T ransport Board (Mrs E. B. Brooke) last evening. !