Cheap fares not welcome

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34128, 14 April 1976, Page 22

Cheap fares not welcome

Bus fare reductions during restricted hoursl and reduced fares were unsound remedies for the Christchurch Transport Board’s finance problems, the Christchurch branch of the Tramway Workers’ Union said yesterday. The union secretary (Mr K. A. Challender) said time restrictions on any form of fare reduction had created problems in every centre that had tried them. One difficulty was knowing just when to enforce the time limit.

At what part of the journey did the driver refuse to: accept the return ticket or sell a reduced fare, without: incurring the wrath of the: passenger, asked Mr Chal-I lender. The economics of the reduced return fare were unsound, he said. If the norm-’!] fare to and from the city! was 20c each way, then at 30c a return fare, an increase of 50 per cent in off peak patronage would be necessary for the board to maintain its present off-peak income. It was doubtful if this could be achieved. Mr Challender said. He suggested that rather

(than a fare reduction the ; board should consider using tsome of its idle fleet m a! j suburban shopping service. ' Trips could be made from! the newer housing areas, where there was usually no car or one a family, to the main suburban shopping areas and malls. Like the City Clipper service, these shoppers trips could be subsidised by the shopkeepers, who benefited from them, ■ Mr Challender said.