Strike affects the elderly

Press, 4 December 1985, Page 7

Strike affects the elderly

Some inner-city Christmas activities for old people have had to be cancelled because of the bus stoppage. The president of the Christchurch Senior Citizens’ Club, Mrs May Evans, said that because most of .its members relied on public transport all activities at the club had been cancelled when the buses had been off the road.

“It is most distressing and it has upset many old people,” she said. All Christmas plans had been upset and two parties had been cancelled, said Mrs Evans.

The secretary-manager of

the Canterbury Aged People’s Welfare Council, Mr Charles Waters, said that about 95 per cent of elderly people who came into the city depended on buses for transport. “They have been very badly affected,” he said.

If the bus stoppage continued elderly people who wanted to go to town should stand at bus stops and wait for motorists to pick them up, said Mr Waters. “We can only hope that good folk pick them up.” The district traffic superintendent of the Ministry of Transport, Mr Con Butter-

field, said there was a big increase in the number of cars in the inner city when buses had been off the road. “They are certainly putting pressure on city streets and parking,” he said. Motorists were permitted to park on bus stops during the stoppage but there was some risk if the buses returned at short notice, said Mr Butterfield. Motorists would have to be patient during delays caused by congestion during the morning and evening peak-traffic periods, he said. The Ministry had no direct involvement in estab-

lishing car pools but some had been set up'in Christchurch to reduce the effects of the stoppage, said Mr Butterfield.

A spokesman for a bicycle rental firm said there had been a significant increase in business when buses had been off the road and if the stoppage continued long-term renting could be popular. Spokesmen for Christchurch’s two taxi companies said that they had been very busy in the morning and evening peak periods. They urged travellers to be patient and to book taxis in advance.