FOR BETTER SERVICE

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 124, 22 November 1926, Page 10

FOR BETTER SERVICE

RAILWAYS AND MOTORS \TO CO-OPERATE

IN NORTHERN PARTS OF SOUTH ISLAND

ELIMINATING UNNECESSARY COMPETITION.

After making a thorough investigation of traffic conditions on the northern routes of tho South Island, the Railway Department has decided to make a six months' trial of a combined rail and motor servico connecting up Nelson, Blenheim, and Christchurch via the East Coast. Similarly, train and motor are to co-operate for the convenience of travellers from Nelson to Greymouth. Through connections , will also be possible with the North Island via the ferry services between Wellington and Picton and Wellington and. Nelson respective- ' ly. These new facilities will commence on 6th December. The genesis of the scheme is found in the desire of the Railway Department to effectively meet road competition. It is felt that on the run between Christchurch and Parnassus—a distance of 85 miles —this can be accomplished under a plan by which tho road competition will cease and motor companies will provide a motor connection between Parnassus, Blenheim, and Nelson. The arrangement will enable Wellington passengers to .leave Wellington at 3 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, connecting at Picton with the train for Blenheim. After a night spent in Blenheim, passengers for Christchurch will join the motor service ,which leaves Blenheim at 7.45 a.m., will lunch at Kaikoura, and arrive at Parnassus at. 1.45 p.m., thence proceeding by train to Christchurch, arriving thecr at 5.14 p.m. ALTERNATIVE TO SEA JOURNEY. This service naturally will not be in favour with those who desire to savo time by night travelling by the ferry connection to and- from Lyttelton, but it will probably prove a convenience for commercial travellers and others who desire to take things in their stride, while no doubt it will bo decidedly attractive for others who desire to reduce the/sea voyage as much as possible and enjoy the pleasure of travelling by day through tho scenic beauties of the East Coast on tho route between Blenheim and Christchurch. For those travelling northward an express train will leave Christchurch at 7.55 .a.m. daily, arriving' at Parnassus three hours later. Here a motor for Blenheim will be joined. Lunch will be taken at Kaikoura about 1 o'clock, and the arrival at Blenheim is timed for 5 p.m. The next day the journey from Blenheim for Wellington will be resumed by train at 12.55 p.m., and tho Picton steamer will make port at about 5.30 'p.m. —

CO-OPERATION OF SERVICES. Special arrangements have been made with the motor firms at present operating on the road between Blenheim and Christchurch whereby they ' will cease to run between Christchurch and Parnassus, and they will co-oper-I ate with the Department in working the combined rail and motor service. The connection with Nelson will be particularly good, as passengers leaving Christchurch by tho 7.55 a.m. express will reach Nelson at 9 p.m. the same night by service- cars leaving Blenheim at 5.30 p.m. —half an hour after arrival there from Christchurch. Nelson passengers wishing to travel to Christchurch will leavo by car at 4 a.m., and reach Christehureh by train at 5.14 p.m.'the same evening. At present Nelson passengers for Christchurch who travel by sea via Wellington have to spent two nights and a day on tho journey. Passengers for the West Coast will find the now service from Nelson equally attractive. The steamer from Wellington will bo met at Nelson port by a train which will leave the wharf immediately tho steamer arrives, and will run a fast passenger service with a limited number of stops to Glenhope. Through passengers will be transferred to motor services connecting up with a train at Inangahua Junction for GreyI mouth, passengers for Westport proceeding from Inangahua by car. TEST OF EFFICIENCY.

The trial of the ventures may be regarded as something in the nature of a test of the efficiency of combined services, and the results will be watched with considerable interest. In view of the economic disadvantages which result from motor services running in competition with trains over similar routes, and the fact that previously this has been unavoidable—in some instances owing to suitable connecting services not being available—a marked improvement should occur in the general position created by the changes on these routes. With better services than were possible under tho through motor run, and the, obvious advantage, both to passengers and transportation, which is gained by a connecting service of this kind, tho requirements of travellers will be catered for to an exceptional degree, and as the advantages of tho routes become better known, a considerable accession of traffic is expected on the East Coast run. The convenience of the connections which will be established between steamer, train, and motor will probably induce largo numbers of peoplo to' do one or Other of theso trips in their. Christmas and New Year holidays. The now sorvlcea will also provide a fine round-trip tour of the, northern parts of the South Island via Otlra.