‘Union could help to ease bus problems’

Press, 24 August 1977, Page 13

‘Union could help to ease bus problems’

A relaxation of tight award regulations would ease the Christchurch Transport Board’s financial situation, said the chairman of the board (Mr M. O. Holdsworth).

He told a combined meeting of the Hornby and Sockbum community councils that there were 500 manhours each year that the board could not use. This cost the ratepayer and bususer $65,000. Only half the board’s employees were allowed to work split shifts at one time. ‘Seventy per cent of the cost of having a bus on the road is in the wages of the driver,” said Mr Holdsworth.

He said that for this reason, it would not be any cheaper for the board to run mini-buses. Finance was the basic problem in making changes

to bus services. ‘‘People talk about what can be done with buses without realising how much it costs,” said Mr Holdsworth. He said that the board was having talks with the Tramways Union in an effort to improve the situation. Earlier, Cr J. Wilson had suggested changes in the Hornby jus service. He said that Hornby residents paid the board $66,000 annually in rates. At present,

commuters were the only Hornby people benefiting from the bus service. Bus routes seemed to veer away from the centre of Hornby. Mr Wilson felt that the • service might be improved if the Wycola Avenue and ! Withels Road routes were linked. Mr Holdsworth said that Hornby was next on the list i of the board’s routes for revision.