New timetable for Strait ferry sailings

Press, 17 February 1983, Page 2

New timetable for Strait ferry sailings

PA Blenheim Cook Strait ferry sailings will be pruned from March 9 ' when The New Zealand Railways introduces a new timetable as the Aramoana is withdrawn from service. Under the new timetable released by the Railways yesterday, there will be no early-morning sailings from Picton to Wellington, and other services in both directions have been pruned. Daily passenger services from Picton will be the 2.20 p.m. and 10.40 p.m. sailings, and the 11.40 a.m. and 8 p.m. sailings will now run only from Thursday to Tuesdays inclusive. From Wellington, the 10 a.m. and 6.40 p.m. sailings will run daily, while the 7.20 a.m. and 4 p.m. sailings will be from Thursday to Tuesday inclusive.

The manager of New Zealand Railways air-sea services, Mr Brian Lundy, said the timetable had been prepared after full discussions with interested groups.

There would be some Tuesdays when the 11.40 a.m. and 8 p.m. sailings northwards would not run because of routine maintenance checks on the Aranui. Likewise, on those days the 7.20 a.m. and 4 p.m. sailings from Wellington would not run. Maintenance days were scheduled for two out of every four consecutive Tuesdays.

Mr. Lundy said the Railways expected there would be sufficient space in the Aratika and Aranui to cope with passenger-car services until the new ferry Arahaura entered service in midDecember.