Tourist bus attraction on hold

Press, 9 October 1987, Page 5

Tourist bus attraction on hold

A double-decker tourist bus service in Christchurch would probably be unlikely to start until next year’s spring tourist season, members of the Tourist Transport Committee planning it were told yesterday. The proposed inner-city tourist link would be unlikely to “get off the ground” until next year, because the firms the committee had written to in England had not yet supplied details of cost and what type pf red Htouble-decker buses 'would be available, said

the chairman of the vehicle sub-committee, Mr Tony Francis. The Tourist Transport committee is an ad hoc committee, made up of representative of the Christchurch City Council, the Transport Board, the Canterbury Promotion Council, the Canterbury United Council, business associations, the Canterbury Hospital Board, the Arts Centre, and vintage transport groups. Three routes being considered by the committee all include variations on a “figure eight” cirflit of

the inner city streets, and would take from 18 to 40 minutes to travel. The routes would take in attractions such as the Arts Centre, the Canterbury Museum, the Botanic Gardens, the Avon River, the Edmonds Band Rotunda, the Antigua Boat Sheds, the Provincial Chambers, the Town Hall, Cathedral Square, several churches and the Civic Chambers. Stops at city hotels and youth hostels were also seen as important to attract tourists’ attention. It was agreed the vehicle should be distinctive and

an attraction in itself. The chairman, Mr Alex Clark, said the Transport Board had approved the proposal in principle and was waiting for a full report from the committee. Sponsorship by businesses to subsidise the costs, would still be a "key factor" in the proposed service, he said. Members hoped they could persuade city businesses to buy advertising on the buses, since they would benefit from tourseveral members of the

committee also said the service needed to attract local as well as overseas and other New Zealand visitors if it was to be sucessful. It was suggested a day pass could be sold at hotels and city businesses for the overseas visitors, and a separate fare be set for Christchurch people, who might only want to travel part of the 18 to 40minute route. Airlines could even be encouraged to include a day pass in any fare package, suggested Mr lan Rivers. „