Radios for 40 buses

Press, 1 April 1980, Page 6

Radios for 40 buses

Radio-telephone receivers will be installed in some Christchurch buses within three' months. ?; ,?• At a -meeting of the Christchurch : ? Transport Board yesterday, the general manager (Mr M. G. Taylor) said that. about 40 radios were planned. - The radios would give complete contact with all the vehicles running after darkAt other times, probably one bus-in four would, have radios. “This will give us a degree of control,” Mr Taylor said. “I believe we should have total coverage, but this is intended as a first stage only” , ".The report of the works and traffic committee said that the evaluation of tenders for the radios , was made more complex than expected because of the special requirements of the buses. The radio that has been chosen remains silent at all times, except when the particular bus is being called. The chairman of the board

(Mr D, J. Kelleher) said it should now go ahead to ensure safety of the drivers and a greater use of the fleet, ■' T’"./

"It is probable there will beatendency; towards . increased bus patronage, even if earless days are phased out,” he said. The recommendation that the board give approval for the purchase of radio-tele-phone equipment at a total cost not. exceeding? $69,000 was carried unanimously. The first set will be installed within three months; thereafter units will be put in at the rate of about one a week. Bicycles on buses The possibility of buses carrying bicycles through the Lyttelton road tunnel and up the Port Hilfs came under criticism by a board member, Mr M. O. Holdsworth. . “I wonder if the idea is really very sensible, especially on the hills,” he said. “Once we have taken people

to■ the top, they could; ba q menace coming down.” Mr Kelleher said bitycles could be hung on front of buseslike prams. Butionly, two •/- bicycles i, could ;bei carried as compared with six! prams. In Europe, there was a system where the bkydesl were put in racks at the' rear of the bus. I j The question will be; cone sidered further at § come; mittee meeting. ’ *,i ’ 1 4 Estimates j ' The high price of «liese!J fuel is making it diff tout ton the board to keep -to its bud* get estimates- For -thel lasti financial year, $44,168 ;was set aside in the estimates, was $53,624. ; In spite; of- these tkldecl costs, Mr? Kelleher saH, . is seemed likely;that the over* all estimates world piovfl close tO:tfto mark. . ; - > “With ■: one four-week period to go. in the financial year, we . are $233,000 better off- .than our estimates,” he said. - " - : ■