ROAD SERVICES

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 6, 6 July 1935, Page 10

ROAD SERVICES

UPPER HUTT-WELLINGTON

LETTER FROM DEPARTMENT

A letter from the local manager of the road motor services. Railway Department, was received at the meeting of the Upper Hutt Borough Council last evening in reply to a letter from the council. The bus manager (Mr. S. C. Doyle) said that with reference to the request made by the council for additional buses to be placed on certain of the services operating between Wellington and Upper Hutt, he had fully investigated the position, but regretted that it was not possible to accede to the reauest. He prepared a return on June 12 14 21 22, and 23. The checks were carried out at Lower Hutt. Only on four occasions were passengers obliged to stand, and in no instance did the number exceed that authorised in the licence. It was significant that out of a total of 36 buses; four had standing passengers, five had a full seated load, and the balance had seating accommodation available for 402 passengers— that was, 27 of the 36 buses checked had empty seats available. As regards the provision of an extra bus to assist the 5.45 p.m. bus from Upper Hutt on Sundays, he pointed out that it was the practice to have a spare •bus stationed at Upper Hutt to assist bpth the 4.30 and the 5.45 p.m. services', and although the spare bus had been .available for this purpose it had only been required on one occasion and than only as far as the V.I.C. In addition to the 4.30 p.m. bus from Wellington for Upper Hutt there was also one for the y.I.C. which catered for the Petone and Lower Hutt residents, so to place a third bus in this service would not be a payable proposition. All buses were licensed to carry standing passengers, and while it was not intended that people should at all times be forced to stand, it would not be possible on the present fare schedule to operate profitably a service if additional buses had to be kept in readiness to cater for the standing passengers who, in the majority of cases, were able to secure seats when the passengers for intermediate points ( alighted. Everything possible was being done by the Department to give the Hutt Valley residents a reasonably good service. It was decided by the council to make further inquiries about the last bus on Sunday evenings.