City Transportation

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 160, 2 April 1931, Page 11

City Transportation

Sir,—His Worship the Mayor, as reported in your columns this morning, has again had to confirm the expectations of many ratepayers and state the heavy losses incurred by the city bus services. The loss of over'£looo per month is appalling. His Worship asks how the bus services may be expected to pay when “they are picking up traffic only in the ragged ends of the city which the trams do not serve.” I submit, Sir, that this statement is not in accordance with fact. The buses, in mauy cases, do not pick up traffic only where the trams do not serve, they run on routes already served by tramway. This point, together with the probability that the plant is not suitable for the work, is part of the cause of the trouble.

Let us consider the question of the bus runs. Services are run to Kelburn, Northland, and Karori. The two latter districts arc to a large extent catered for by the tramway. Certain portions of the districts are at some distance from the tram line, and some form of transportation is needed to cover this distance. When the bus route meets the tram line, though, the bus should stop and passengers transfer to the tram. One service starts at the old Karori council chambers, on the tram line, meanders through the eastern portion of the district, and finally meets the tram lino again at the Karori tunnel. This service is very necessary up to this point, but why continue on into the city? Cannot the trams do the work from this point? The run up from the city to the Karori tunnel is practically one long hill, and the climb must be a very expensive business. Why not let the bus meet the train at the Karori tunnel and pick up its passengers there? Wellington is a city of hills, and these are a problem iu all transportation. It is not necessary, however, to treat the problem as one beyond solution. I have suggested above that on one run the hill work could be cut out, but supposing that this is not done and the buses continue to wend their way up Wellington Terrace, is it necessary that the same heavy, and in many cases obsolete bus be used? Why, during slack periods, are big, cumbersome vehicles used? Is there no cheaper, lighter bus available, which could be used in the slack periods. Lowgear work from the city to Kelburn must run away with an enormous amount in benzine and wear and tear. In conclusion I should like to remark on the sight-seeing services run by the council. Does this business pay its way? I have closely watched this activity of the council, and it is a depressing sight to see a privately-run sight-seeing bus proceed along the Quay with a good load, while our municipal effort follows practically empty. Is there any reason to suppose that the fact that the privatelyowned bus commences its run from a more prominent “stand” than the council bus, is the cause of the difference , in the business done?—l am, etc., ANGUS MACPHERSON. April 1, 1931.