BUS OVERCROWDING

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 105, 31 October 1934, Page 12

BUS OVERCROWDING

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —Please allow mo space to sympathise with "Vcturisto," complaining of our crowded buses on the Hutt Valley route. This complaint is genuine and of long standing. Hutt Valley residents bear it because there is no remedy. I can say from my own experience that at times this over-crowding causes pain, especially to elderly people, who must stand if'they desire- to visit friends or relatives in the Hutt Valley on a fine Sunday per bus. There are hundreds of people who will not ride on Hutt Valley buses on fine Sundays or. hplidaya because they, cannot go through the ordeal of being jostled and trodden on. There arc no Sunday trains so it is cither bus or stay home. . ■ I will admit overcrowding is not the case on every week-day trip, but during rush hours, weekends, and holidays it is seen at its worst, especially on tho Upper Hutt direct buses. What makes it worse on these trips for elderly people is that some lucky wives- and sweet young things pounce on double seats and tuck their husbands and young men friends on the inside scat, where they pan stay as it is far too inconvenient for that seat to be given up to anybody. The railway buses are very comfortable. It is a pleasure to ride in. them in a seat, and it is only fair to the people who pay to receive service and reasonable comfort.

Mnjr I suggest that extra direct buses should be put on at weekends and holtdays to relieve the pressure and give the paying public a sporting chance of obtaining a seat. More direct buses are necessary during rush, hours also. Jha

Railway Department states that records show the loading of buses is well below their licensed carrying capacity. That may be- so, because many of tne buses run on off times of the week days are almost empty. What I would like to see is a i'ecbfcl of the passengers carried during the rush hours, weekends, and holidays..—l am, etc.,

SEATLESS.

"Keep Down the Birthrate" also endorses " Yeturisto's" complaint and gives a specific instance of overcrowding on October 23 when a woman with a baby and a small child had to stand for some distance. The Correspondent holds that this l^as unnecessary as there was a bus bearing the sign -"Petone Only" which could have been put on to take the extfa'passengers.