TRANSPORT PROBLEMS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21357, 10 June 1931, Page 6

TRANSPORT PROBLEMS.

Not the least important or the least difficult task of the newlyconstituted Railways Board will be that of establishing some balance between rail and motor transport. The competition of privately-owned motor vehicle services is seriously affecting the traffic, and consequently the revenue, of the railways. The most damaging feature of this competition, as it concerns the railways, is that on many routes, particularly where the roads are good, buses are skimming the cream of the traffic and leaving the railways to carry' minimum-paying freights that cannot conveniently be transported by , motor vehicle. The problem is one that has exercised the minds of the railway authorities in all countries in which good highways exist to invite enterprising companies to enter into competition with the old-established railroad services. Unfortunately, although transport organisations have fully, ventilated their grievances and opinions, no economic scheme has yet been established for relieving the railways from a burden thqt is everywhere proving prejudicial to their interests. An indication of the extent by which road competition has increased in recqnt years is afforded in figures relating to transport in the United States. In 1923 a total of 1,008,537,863 passengers was conveyed by rail, and' in 1929 this number was reduced to 786,432,468. Railway passenger receipts, which in 1929 were less by some £80,000,000 than in 1920, reflect the decline of the railways in popularity. Motor transport has shown a rapid increase of activity in the same period. Motor trucks in service in the United States in 1920 numbered about a million, and in 1929 nearly three and a-half millions, an increase of 237 per cent., while in the same period commercial buses soliciting passenger business increased in number by 825 per cent, to 92,500. The situation thus created has very seriously affected many railroad companies in America. In some cases railway services are being carried on at a loss in the hope that an improvement may occur, while other railroad managements are engaging on large scale

motor-transport operations with the effect of offsetting their losses on the permanent way. In Great Britain the rivalry between railway and motor coach companies has assumed very considerable proportions, one of the main difficulties with which the railway owners have to contend being that the motor companies find it possible to cut fares, in many eases by 25 to 50 per cent, below those’ charged by the railways for similar service. All applications for motor transport licenses are vigorously opposed by representatives. of the railway interests, but so far there does not appear to be any definitely-established ruling that might govern the decisions of the licensing authorities. It was argued recently by the representative of one motor transport company that “the railways showed no mercy when they pushed the old stage coaches off the road,” and cannot expect better treatment now from the motor coach companies. The danger of allowing unrestricted motor competition while the abilities of motor transport adequately to replace railways as a public utility, are in doubt, is better emphasised in a statement of an American commission, which showed that whereas a railway company is often compelled by law, and always by its desire to survive, to continue its services in face of constant deficits, a motor company, with a comparatively small capital, can cease to operate at will or, provided a new franchise is obtainable, change the scene of . its operations practically overnight. The necessity for the supervision and regulation of highway transportation, or the co-ordination of rail and road services, is apparent,- but, while it is recognised, no country appears as yet to have formulated an effective scheme. The difficulty is that, while the obvious disadvantages of the railways in competing with motor vehicles in certain lucrative types of transport business are acknowledged, and it is generally admitted that some form of relief should be secured, ‘it must also be recognised that motor transport is serving the public - well in many respects, frequently at smaller charges than the railways can afford to levy. A system of co-ordination of the services seems to be the only effective solution of the problem, and it is possible that in New Zealand, where motor competition is as yet a considerably less formidable enemy of the railways than in some other countries, a settlement might be achieved in that direction without any great injustices being done.