Change signals station cuts

Press, 9 December 1989, Page 1

Change signals station cuts

By

PAM MORTON and

HEATHER CHALMERS

Eight railway stations in Canterbury and Westland will close early next year with the introduction of a new signalling system. Seventeen Railcorp staff will lose their jobs under the changes. The stations to close are Belfast and Papanui in Christchurch, and the outlying stations at Kaiapoi, Rangiora, Waipara, Springfield, Arthur’s Pass and Otira. Railcorp’s area manager of rail transport, Mr Don Johnson, said affected staff had been aware of the changes for some time. They have the option of relocating to another position or taking voluntary severance. Five of the stations were about 60 years old and had out-dated signalling systems, he said. Staff had been employed to work the systems manually but the new signalling system meant the signals could be controlled from a central point in Christchurch. “The only reason for the existence of some of these stations has been the fact that we have

had this system,” said Mr Johnson. Passengers travelling on the train and people freighting goods would not notice any difference in the service, he said. “The fact that the signalling system is being changed will not make any difference to anyone’s service.” The stations were expected to close by the end of March, he said. The move was part of Railcorp’s restructuring and would save the corporation the cost of wages and maintenance on buildings. Once closed the stations would be sold or demolished. The changes would leave Kaikoura arid Ashburton as the only intermediate stops to be staffed in the region. Both were important shunting stations. The secretary of the Canterbury branch of the National Union of Railwaymen, Mr Peter Griffin, said the public had only themselves to blame for the closings. “They turned their backs on rail as a form of transport. “It’s tonnage through the stations that keeps them open.”