Dearer fares

Press, 28 November 1979, Page 2

Dearer fares

The 6.4 per cent rise ir the price of diesel inevitably would lead to an increase ir bus fares early next year I said the general manager ol I the Christchurch Transporl Board (Mr M. E. Taylor). The latest increase would icost the board an extrt 560.000 for the remaining ■ four months of this financial year. The need for a fare increase had been marginal before the latest increase . in the price of diesel. Now the board was left with no option but to increase fares, ■probably on January 7, said Mr Taylor. He criticised the decision to Increase the price of diesel more than 6 per cent, while the pripe of petrol rose only 3 per .cent. The price of diesel- had risen 60 per cent since April this year, compared with a

36 per cent increase for petrol during the same period. Diesel now cost nine times more than it did 10 years ago, while petrol was five times as dear. “Diesel is essentially' a commercial fuel and petrol is non commercial. The Government would have done more for the stability of the economy if it had been more even-handed with its fuelprice increases,” said Mr Taylor. increased revenue resulting from earless days meant that the board could hold! fares at present rates and* still show' a profit on its es-| timates at the end of March?’ 1980. However, Mr Taylor! said, it preferred to make! any increases .early in the new' year because customer, resistance was ' less at that time.