Transport funding queried

Press, 14 March 1985, Page 2

Transport funding queried

Tbe concept of urban transport funding needed to be reviewed, a meeting of the Canterbury United Council’s urban transport committeedecidedvesterdav.

Tbe Urban Transport Council, which allocates transport funds, should be asked to consider how its Eilicies affected the South land when it reviewed transport fun-dings, the committee members decided. Cr Trevor Inch said the Government’s action of granting the council an extra $4,406,000 to subsidise rail services in Wellington

and Auckland was unfair to South Island taxpayers, who would have to find part of tbe extra money. It meant Canterbury people were paying for rail services in the North Island and not getting any extra benefit for the Christchurch bus services, Cr Inch said. “We have a very efficient system of urban transport and all tbe subsidies are doing is taking away the advantage that efficiency gives us,” he said. Another point which rankled with Mr Inch was that the Government’s actions

appeared to prove it favoured rail over buses as urban transport. Cr R. W. J. Harrington asked tbe meeting if it should consider rail transport rather than buses for Christchurch. The chairman of the Christchurch Transport Board. Mr Patrick Neary, said tbe' bus system was efficient enough. The main point was that trains and buses should be funded equally, Mr Neary said. “To’ me. it seems totally unfair that they are not.” ’

Cr Inch said be would like to know tbe council’s latest funding policies, especially those concerning the South Island. The Carter Report on urban transport made in 1970 outlined options open to the council, but was probably out of date now. Mr Neary said he thought the committee was digging up things that had been explained, but funding inequities needed to be discussed.

Cr John Hanafin said it would not do any harm for tbe committee to “push the point” to tbe council.