Bus cuts dilemma

Press, 7 May 1981, Page 3

Bus cuts dilemma

The threat of. a total shutdown of Midland Coachlines bus services north of Christchurch has thrown a tough issue into the hands of the Canterbury United Council’s new urban transport committee.

Leaving North Canterbury towns without. commuter transport was unacceptable, councillors said yesterday, but the United Council itself had no money to help the private bus company. Midland’s New Zealand manager (Mr D. W. Mcßeth) is a member of the new

committee, appointed by the Road Transport Council of New Zealand to represent bus companies. He said that his company needed quick movement towards obtaining $176,874 in aid in the current financial year. . Without a positive sign that help was on the way, the company would act “post haste” to stop its services to such places as Kaiapoi, Woodend, and Rangiora. Since the Government had offered a $1 for $1 matching subsidy for such services, half the required amount could come from that direction, Mr Mcßeth said. But the rest —588,437 — would have to come from local bodies. So far, those local bodies have been unwilling to help subsidise the private company. Mr Mcßeth said that the only solution might be to go back to the local bodies immediately, and say “you cannot fob us off this year” if they expected to have a commuter service. Since most local bodies have already determined their budgets, the idea of an extra subsidy is expected to be hard to sell. • -•/’ Cr A. A. Adcock wondered how long the United Council would be expected to urge the subsidising of a private company. ‘Should public transport be extended instead?” Mr Mcßeth said that 14 op 15 private bus firms in other parts of New Zealand already received financial help from local bodies. Midland also had a $70,000 annual subsidy from the Government under a separate scheme. The money needed now would be on top of that subsidy. He said that it would cost much more for a local body to run.a public bus service to replace the one now run by Midland. Cr Adcock said that many people depended on the service: “There will be a lot of

hardship if these buses are suddenly withdrawn.” The Waimairi County Council, which would be a main contributor under the subsidy request, will consider the proposal next week. Midland Coachlines has already applied to the -No. 9 Transport Licensing Authority for a 50 per cent reduction in services north of Christchurch. That cut would be during off-peak commuter hours. . According to a United Council planning report, there were about 574,000 passenger trips on the affected' routes in 1980. Midland runs buses from Rangiora, Waikuku, Kairaki, and Brooklands on to Christchurch. Rangiora buses are routed through Woodend, Tuahiwi, Southbrook, Kaiapoi, Belfast, and Northcote. Late last year, Midland bus fares on local routes were raised 30 per cent.