Investigation of ferry limit

Press, 21 December 1976, Page 17

Investigation of ferry limit

Staff Repoter

The Minister of Transport (Mr McLachlan) has promised to investigate the complexities of the Railways Department’s policy of permitting only 1500 trade vehicles to cross Cook’s Strait annually “on rubber.”

Mr McLachlan, when asked if he had considered the problems faced by South Island car franchiseholders in having new vehicles shipped across the Strait by rail ferry “on rubber”, as opposed to being rail-freighted.

Mr McLachlan said that since he had been appointed Minister of Transport he had not received any representations on the matter. However, he said, he would certainly call for departmental records and would look into it. Franchise holders in the South Island, particularly those in Blenheim, Picton, and Nelson, have repeatedly asked several administrations to abandon the 1500 car restriction — which applies both

ways across the Strait — to allow an unrestricted flow of new vehicles to cross on the ferries when space is available. They have pointed out on many occasions that they were unable to have cars shipped across “on rubber” at times when the ferries were sailing almost empty. They were refused space “on rubber” because of the 1500 car restriction which has been built into the New Zealand Waterside Workers’ general principal order (award agreement). The Railways Department offered the waterside workers this agreement for a restriction as a means of preventing waterside workers from loading new cars and heavy motor vehicles on rail ferries.

The cars can be brought across on rail waggons, but franchise holders say that the freight cost is much higher and there is a risk of damage when the cars are loaded on and off the waggons.