TRAM ECONOMIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23945, 21 October 1939, Page 7

TRAM ECONOMIES

ST. KILDA SERVICES DECISION OF COMMITTEE In view of the decision of the St. Kilda Borough Council not to permit the City Council to institute a trial bus service on the Forbury Park line, the Tramways Committee of the City Council has decided to institute economies in the St. Kilda tram service. This is announced in the report of the committee to come before the council at its meeting on Tuesday night. Proposed economies in city bus services are also announced. Advice has now been received from the St. Kilda Borough Council that it is unable to approve- of the City Council’s proposals •to institute a trial bus service on the Forbury Park line (the report states). Economies have been instituted on the other main tramway lines in .the direction of reducing the services during slack periods. No such action was taken in respect of the' St. Kilda service, as it was felt that economies could best be effected by the proposed bus services. In view of the St. Kilda Council’s decision, however, the committee has now decided to approve of the manager’s recommendations to effect economies on the St. Kilda and Forbury Park lines Commencing from last Monday, a 20minute service will operate during slack periods on the St. Kilda line between Richardson street and St. Kilda, while on the Forbury Park line a 20-minute service will operate all day In lieu of the existing 30-minute service. These new services, with the cutting out of the loop running at Moreau street, where very few passengers are carried, will be operated with one car less, thus creating an estimated saving of at least £I2OO per annum after allowing for extra trips on both lines at peak periods. With a view to restricting the use of petrol, restrictions have already been made on the bus service between Caver- ‘ sham terminus and Lookout Point, particularly on Saturday afternoons. It is considered, however, that further economies could be, effected in the operation of this service, and at the same time give a more satisfactory service, by the withdrawal of this bus and the substitution of an alternative service. Authority has been granted, therefore, to provide a through bus service between Lookout Point and Logan Park. This service, which will be operated by two Diesel buses, will give a half-hourly time-table on both sections of the route. The buses will follow the same route as the existing Cargill road-Caversham bus and the Logan Park tram, with certain trips to the Art Gallery as required. The advantages of such a service would be a saving of £SOO a year by the elimination of one bus between Caversham and Lookout Point and a further £SOO by the running of the bus between the Exchange and Logan Park, making £IOOO in all.