PASSENGER TRANSPORT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21242, 24 January 1931, Page 16

PASSENGER TRANSPORT.

ROAD AND RAIL CO-ORDINATION. SCHEME PUT BEFORE GOVERNMENT.' ' ' With the object of eliminating what is at present considered to’be a great economic waste, a scheme to co-ordinate rail and road passenger transport throughout the. Dominion has been placed before the - ; Minister of Railways (Mr W. A. Veitch), and has been accorded a very sympathetic hearing. It is- understood that a conference'between the Government, the White ' Star Tourist Services,; Ltd., and the Aard Motor Services Association of New Zealand; Ltd., will be held in Wellington m the near future for the purpose of discussing the scheme fully. The scheme, if put into effect, is. expected to eliminate unwarranted competition, reduce economic waste, ■ provide a fixed flat rate for,, motor and rail fares at something under 2d per mile, and offer better facilities for the travelling public. Unprofitable railway services will be , discontinued and replaced by motor services which will .receive a, ; Government sub* ‘ 1m outlining, the proposal, the president. of the White Star,Tourist Services (Mr T. E. Robson) said that, .bearing in mind the increasing problems of: the motor ser- . vice, business ’.and the railways,. the time had arrived- when co-ordination was necessory in ithe interests of the organisations concerned. For some time past,-the scheme •; had been under consideration by the motor t service companies, and this weeek the full directorates .of'.the White' Star and ; •the Aard Services met in conference. The ‘ representatives ■ adopted a very ■ concilia* tory attitude, and agreed ; unanimously upon'the •schemes of• ■ co-ordination. A • resolution was also passed urging the Government to bring down legislatiofa, including thedicensing of motor services on . the lines of the Transport Act Amend- . ment Act, 1929. It was believed that tho only way to . regulate motor transport Was to have one licensing board and not numbers of local authorities, as at present.-- •■• ■ •'■ v: v- A-'--'. ' '' •' . The main outline of the scheme' placed * ' before the Government is ae follows: 1. All fares throughout New Zealand, both rail and motor, to he Axed on an. average flat rate. . 2. All existing motor service firms to , enter into an arrangement under per- . inanent contract with the Railways Do- ... partment, locking the position against further competition. , 3. All fares on motor efervces, where ...; the rate per mile is in excess of the fiat c . rate, to be subsidised by the Railways , Department to the extent necessary to .... produce the present motor fare. 4. All time tables, both rail and motor, to be revised and rearranged in the sole; interests of the travelling, , public, 5. All booking offices, rail, tourist, and motor service, to be co-ordinated, with no individual advantages in supplying information' to the public, guarantees • for impartial booking, and a uniform commission rate, of 5 per cent.’charged .; to the service on which booking is . made. 6. Subsidies to be paid on monthly pae- . senger returns submitted to the department. . , ! Mr Robson stated that the White. Star v and Aard motor. services could provide buses -and cars to meet all demands. The scheme, he considered, was one of the •..-, best , eyer, put before the New’ Zealand Government, • : ' • . : ••: . ‘