Transport test hearing

Press, 20 July 1984, Page 3

Transport test hearing

PA New Plymouth An important test hearing involving transport industry deregulation came before the Transport Licensing Authority at New Plymouth yesterday. The No. 6 Authority, Mr L P. Wollennan, said that the case was important because it involved future decisions. Newmans Coach Lines, Ltd, was applying for a continuous passenger-ser-vice licence from New Plymouth to Wanganui return, on a weekly schedule, Sundays to Fridays. It was opposed by the

Railways Corporation. For the corporation, Mr Tony Reid said that a licence granted to Newmans would materially affect existing railway services. The marketing manager of the corporation, Mr Alan Coomb, said that the railway service was running at a loss as expected, but losses would decline. A clause in the Transport Amendment Act, 1983, said that if proposed new services along routes already covered economically jeopardised existing operations, a licence may not be issued. For Newmans, Mr

Michael Hollyer said that if a passenger service was running at a loss insufficient service was being provided to attract users. The general manager of Newmans, Mr Michael Wadsworth, said that his. company was trying to establish an east-west service from Palmerston North to New Plymouth. It was unreasonable and not in the public interest to trans-ship passengers at Wanganui. The corporation has seven days to lodge submissions with the authority and Newmans, y