KELBURN TRAMWAY

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 142, 13 December 1923, Page 11

KELBURN TRAMWAY

tO THS EDITOR. Sir, —I wish to draw attention to the serious lack of conveniences provided by this company. All- other transport concerns, such as the Corporation tramways or the railways,,are oompelled to provide suitable conveniences and give service to their patrons. Why should not the above concern also do so ? I have seen mothers with young babies struggling to get a small fold-up push-cart on or off the back of these cars under most seri-' ous difficulties, but instead ol receiving courtesy and help from the employees, all they had was to.be shouted at and told to ". hurry and get on board," or to " hurry and get that pram off." Later, when passing through the tnrnstiles, the opening is so narrow that once more the go-cart must be folded and pushed through sideways at great inconvenience.. Further, these came mothers are told. that if they wish to return home on the cars they must return shortly, after 4 p.m., as go-carts are not permitted later. If a mother has to get her husband's lunch, dress herself and child, get down town, and make purchases and return shortly after 4 o'clock, one can imagine her difficulties, and all because this company fails to realise that it owes proper service to its patrons. Why does not this company follow the procedure adopted in the States? Here you' see steel grilles of suitable capacity attached at' both ends of the cars, where all sorts of packages, go-carts, etc., are easily and quickly lifted on and off.

The company will not allow the storage of a go-cart at its Lambton terminus because it .Ijas never provided the necessary facilities, nor are there are conveniences for women of any kind. It may have been all right to treat their patrons in this way in the early stages, but it is time that they now realised and carried out their responsibilities to the travelling public, who use'- thfeir lines j. and, further, the way in which women are frequently treated is in marked, contrast to the courteous treatment they receive after reaching the Quay when joining one of the Corporation cars.—l am, etc., ,_ KELBURNITE. , 11th December.

In reply to the statements of our correspondent, the company explains that thers is only one operator on each car, the gripman, and it is, of course, impossible for him to leave the control and assist passengers. The space available is bo limited that nothing further can be done at present in regard to increasing the width of the turnstiles. No charge is made for go-carts, and, owing to the rush of traffic after 4 o'clock, it is impossible to carry go-carts and large parcels. Under existing conditions, it is not considered advisable to have grilles at the end of cars for the carriage of 'gocarts and large parcels. It would, it is asserted, probably lead to serious accidents if passengers were allowed to take parcels from grilles at the stops. There are no restrictions to placing go-carts for a short period of time in the parcek omce. Passengers, it is stated, are treated with every respect, and the company will not tolerate discourtesy.