More people using rail

Press, 5 March 1982, Page 23

More people using rail

Wellington reporter The number of passengers travelling by rail between Picton and Christchurch has increased 12 per cent so far this year compared with the same period last year. Occupancy rate has been so high that the Railways Department has put another carriage on to trains running both ways. There are also plans to replace the present trains with refurbished Wellington suburban units once the new Hungarian rolling stock has come into service in Wellington. Some 60,293 passengers had travelled by rail between Picton and Christchurch or Christchurch to Picton since April 1, 1981, until February 27, 1982, said the passenger manager for the Railways Department (Mr D. W. Shaw). This was an increase of 6485, or 12 per cent, on the same period the previous vear

He said increased air fares, dearer petrol, and the greater movement of tourists within New Zealand had contributed to the rise. From February 1 to December 15, 1981, more than 4000 tourist passes worth $l2O each for 14 days of travel had been sold, a 60 per cent increase on the 1980 sales. It was reasonable to assume that nearly every one of . these passes had included a trip on the PictonChristchurch line, as one of the main linking routes, Mr Shaw said. For the week ending February 26 there had been a 78 per cent seat occupancy to Picton and an 85 per cent seat occupancy to Christchurch. These rates were probably slightly down since an extra carriage had been added each way, he said. Also, many of the bookings were for part-trips only as the service stopped at stations as required.