HOLIDAY TRAFFIC

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 83, 2 January 1930, Page 15

HOLIDAY TRAFFIC

TRAVELLERS BY ROAD AND RAIL •

From particulars received from the Railway Booking Bureaux there has been a marked increase in the number of passengers travelling by rail this year. At the Central Railway Booking Office, Mercer Street, for the third week in December there was an increase of nearly 1000 on the bookings for the corresponding week of last year. The figures taken for the month of December show an increase of nearly 3000 on those of the previous year. , The actual figures for the first three weeks in December of -last year were: 900, 5900 and 3440, making a total of 10,249; while this year for the same period the figures are 3400, 3000 and 441*--—a total of 11.312, making au increase of 72. To this, ho'W'evcr, the bookings from the newly-opened Courtenay Place Bureau must be added, a total of 2818, which brings the grand total up to 14,130. which is 2890 in excess ot last year. There are also bureaux at Kilhiiffiie and Mount Cook, from which no figures are available as yet, but* when these are released the total for ellington will be over the 3000 mark. It is difficult to make comparisons with the two years’ figures on account of the facility given recently enabling passengers to book seats any period in advance, whereas formerly they could only book fourteen days ahead. The Central Booking Office has now reservations extending well into February. The quota of passengers travelling by the Auckland, Napier and New Plymouth expresses has remained at a high level throughout the whole of the holidays, and to-day and to-morrow it is expected that they will b<* well filled, these days being for many people the final of their holidays. By road, owing perhaps to the somewhat unfavourable weather experienced, there have been fewer travellers on short country and suburban trips. All the popular resorts yesterday, however, were well patronised, and there were a good number of cars at Day’s Bay. The Eastbourne Borough Council lias been very unfortunate this year in the matter of weather, but yesterday, being fine, large crowds were carried on the council’s buses.

The peak loads by road, rail and boat will probably be carried to-day and tomorrow. Busy townsfolk will be in all haste returning to the city, and the rush will not faper off until the end of next week, when many of the professional offices resume business. Things will then regain their normal state and harassed ollicia’s will be happy with the thought that the holiday rush is another twelve months’ hence.