TROLLY BUS LOAN

Evening Star, Issue 26017, 4 February 1947, Page 6

TROLLY BUS LOAN

RATEPAYERS ENLIGHTENED MEETING AT CAVERSHAM Qn an estimated annual revenue of £858,000, trains would incur a loss of £29,000, while trolly buses would show a profit of £5,900, stated Cr Wright, a member of the City Council Finance Committee, when members of the council addressed a meeting of Kew and Caversliam householders in the Holland Memorial Hall last night. The introduction of tlm trolly bus system would cost approximately £700,000, said Cr Wright, and the approximate cost of rehabilitating the tram system .to a' modern system of the 1920’5-—because that was what it-would be—would cost about £20,000 short of' £700,000.’ To rehabilitate the trams, proper asphalt bases for the tracks would have to be put down, and drains provided underneath. The meeting was the first of several convened by the councillors for the purpose of explaining the proposals embodied in the transport and streets reconstruction loan of £858,000. Over 50 persons were present. The poll of ratepayers is to be held on February 26. The Mayor, Mr D. C. Cameron,. presided, and in addition to councillors, a number of executive officers of tlie council were present. A welcome to Mr Cameron and councillors was extended by Mr J. Wallace, president of the. Caversham -Ratepayers’ Association; -At the beginning of the meeting a colour- film, showing trolly buses operating in Adelaide, was screened. CITY MUST PROGRESS. -- “ Dunedin city occupies a prominent position in the Dominion. However successful we have been in the past, we cannot rest on that to-day; we must progress or slip back, said Mr Cameron. The loan proposals for trolly buses and street reconstruction that we are placing before the ratepayers are nothing new. The council m 1939 decided on it, and since then the council has made a thorough investigation. The Local Government Loans Board, after full investigation, approved the proposals which are now submitted to the ratepayers. “ The electric trams have provided a reliable and economic service . for more than 40 years,” said Cr McCrae. “With the advent of the motor car, the .decline of the electric tram began. Recently a commission in Britain declared that the tramway system was an obsolete one and it did not recommend any new ones being introduced.” Cr McCrae recalled that m 1938-39 the

council began to lose money on the trams and decided that a change was necessary. The war intervened and the, council was unable to obtain labour or material to maintain the deteriorating road surfaces and tram tracks. The council had made a thorough investigation of the trolly bus schemes and had obtained the advice of a number of experts, reaching a decision that trolly buses were the most suitable transport for Dunedin. TRAMS UNECONOMIC. The tram service in Dunedin could not bo made a paying concern, with the present fares in operation, but the trolly buses could, because of their lower operational costs, ho said. Some of the advantages of the trolly buses were enumerated by Cr McCrae. They did. not interfere with the flow of traffic in the streets, as trams continually did, ho said. Trolly buses could go around stationary* cars. They were much speedier than trams ana drew into the kerb when stopping, providing a greater degree of safety for passengers and causing no hindrance to traffic. They required no conductors at slack periods. They had a lower maintenance cost than trains, and no rails or track maintenance were required when they were employed. In response to a questioner who asked if the buses would be able to carry all passengers at peak periods, Cr McCrae said it was not the intention to put trolly buses on all Dunedin routes overnight. A start would be made on-the Castle street, Opoho, Anderson’s Bay, and Norinanby routes. If there were not sufficient trolly buses to handle the passengers, council would get more. “ We either go forward or backward. Progress is the essence of stability,” said Cr L. J. Ireland, chairman of the Works Committee. The most progressive proposal was the extension from Albert street to Roslyn. It would shorten the distance from the Octagon to' Kaikorai by 48 chains and bring the city nearer the airport. It would be a modern road, with footpaths and a 'centre channel separating traffic in opposite, directions. The grade would be considerably better than the present route. The council had the power to provide interest and sinking fund for this, work out of the petrql tax allocation if the road were declared a highway, and this could be easily done. “ How much of your estimated profit from trolly buses will be swallowed up in wage increases to employees? ” asked one householder. “No increases have yet been granted,” replied Cr Wright. Estimates had been based on receipts and expenditure in the past. QUICK LOADING,

In reply to another question, Cr Mcßae stated that it would be possible to load the trolly buses more quickly than the trams. The trolly bus would take 40 seated and 20 standing, .and they could be loaded in less than a minute. The average seating for all of the trams was 32. WOMEN’S ANGLE. The special appeal that the trolly buses may be expected to have for women was explained by Cr Mcßae to the ‘Star’ to-day. The vehicles would be provided with ample hooks for prams, he-said. They would be able to carry three prams in front and three in the rear. There would be three stops, the first 14in above the ground, and the other two were only Sin high. As the bus drew into the kerb on stopping, the first step would actually be only several inches high. In addition, there would be racks the whole length of the buses for parcels, and women would not have to reach up for a bell cord to stop the bus, as electric bell pushes .would be placed by each seat.