Kaiapoi renews rail protest

Press, 15 July 1976, Page 4

Kaiapoi renews rail protest

The Kaiapoi Borough Council still hopes for an early reinstatement of the Rangiora-Christchurch. rail service, despite unsuccessful submissions against its withdrawal. A letter from the Minister of Railways (Mr McLachlan), received by the council’s finance committee, said that the service was cancelled because the small patronage did not justify the use of a locomotive. The number of passengers using the service was assessed bv a special count taken during the first two weeks of February, and included both schoolchildren and railway employees who could be quite adequately catered for by buses. It was correct that goods services ran about the same time as the former passenger train, but this was necessary

to give adequate service to the industries along the route, said Mr McLachlan. The cancellation of the passenger service had enabled shunting services between Christchurch and Rangiora to be reorganised. This resulted in the release of a locomotive for eight hours each day for more productive work, and allowed better use of locomotives, with consequent savings in operating costs. However, shunting services did not run to set schedules, and actual operation times varied from day to day, depending on the amount done. The carriages previously used on the train would be used in other suburban areas where the department was having difficulty in coping with the demand.

The council will express its regret at the decision, and hope for an early reinstatement of the passenger service.