Tunnel toll staff await decision on their future

Press, 17 January 1979, Page 6

Tunnel toll staff await decision on their future

I Toll charges on the Christchurch-Lyttelton road tunnel will be abolished in about 10 weeks, but toll collectors have received no news about their future. Some staff members have resigned and others have started new jobs, but it is believed that many are waiting to see whether future traffic control in the tunnel will require their services. A fragmented organisation was proposed in which the Automobile Association and the Ministry of Transport would control the tunnel under the supervision of the Ministry of Works and Development. The Minister of Works and Development (Mr W. L. Young) said in September, 1968, that he hoped key staff would be retained under the over-all control of his department. Inquiries yesterday showed that the administrative staff, with the exception of a typist,' had been found jobs, and a maintenance man might find employment with the Lyttelton Harbour Board. The Road Tunnel Authority’s genera! manager (Mr L. E. Olliver) declined to comment on his position, but said that he had not been firmly placed yet.

»i The future running of the 11 tunnel, and whether any 11 control staff will be retain- - ed, is also still uncertain. >| The tunnel will come 'under the jurisdiction of the 11 District Commissioner z of ■ | Works (Mr P. F. Reynolds) ; ion April 1. Mr Reynolds was unavail- > able for comment yesterday, I but a spokesman in his office said that Mr Reynolds i was handling all facets of • the take-over. 1 The Ministry of Works and Development engineer 1 who designed the toll plazas I ' examined them again I recently to decide on their I future. It is believed that a i decision will be made within ■ few days. ; Decisions on the Author- , ity’s vehicles and other : equipment are also expected soon, but no indication has yet been given on the future | control of tunnel activities. Mr Olliver said that if the I tunnel continued to be manned, the control room might be retained, but he did not! know what would happen to! the rest of the administration building. The Tunnel Authority has two more meetings before i its final meeting on March '26.