The Wanganui Chronicle. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1945. WANGANUI’S TRANSPORT SYSTEM

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 89, Issue 269, 14 November 1945, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1945. WANGANUI’S TRANSPORT SYSTEM

TT4K most comprehensive survey yet made of the Wanganui city transport system was laid before the Wanganui City Council last night by the engineer, Mr. Row. It is of interest to every citizen, and of particular interest to the ratepayers. Briefly, the position is that Wanganui must cither renew the present tramway system or replace it. If neither is done the city, within a comparatively short time, will be without a transport system at all. Mr. Row recommends replacement of the present service with trolley buses, not renewal. Replacement, it is recommended, should be in gradual stages, and the trolley buses should, be supplemented by petrol buses. Two important aspects must be considered. The first, naturally, is what can the city afford, either in the way of renewing the present system or of establishing a new one? The second involves something less easy to determine, whether any new system selected will meet the demand for something better than Wanganui has at present, will encourage greater support, and will pay? Mr. Row’s report, which impartially surveys the effectiveness and noii-ei’feetivencss of the present tramway system, confirms the obvious conclusion that the trams have outlived their usefulness, judged on present-day standards. Wanganui is in much the same position as when the old Castlecliff “express” days gave place to trams running right to the beach. Something more in keeping with the demand of the public, ever seeking greater comfort and convenience, is necessary; but, apart from that, the present system, unless it is renewed, will cease to operate in a few years, anyhow. So the main consideration must be whether it should be renewed, or replaced, and what the cost of renewal, or replacement, will be and what prospects there are of improving public patronage of whatever is decided upon. Considering the financial aspect of the matter, it must be borne in mind that even if the service of to-day was scrapped to-morrow, the city would still have to go on paying on the loan indebtedness (at present about £109,000) until 1958 when that indebtedness is redeemed. Mr. Row estimates that renewal of the existing tracks alone will cost £155,000. In addition to that the present operating costs of the tramways exceed the revenue by from 25 to 40 per cent. Trolley buses, it is pointed out, however, would not be self-supporting either, on the present rate of fares. Mr. Row’s estimate of the whole cost of installing trolley buses is £130,000, but such buses would serve a greater population along each route than the trams do now and should therefore be better patronised. In brief, the City Council faces this position: The present tramway system will be worn out within five years; the capital indebtedness on it will be redeemed in 13 years; a new system of trolley buses will eost £130,000, the change-over being spread so as not to inconvenience the travelling public; the new system would serve more people, but an increase in fares will be necessary; the greatest financial burden would fall on the city in the year the new service is purchased, say in 1947-48, when the annual charges on the old loan indebtedness and the new would amount to £20,492; thereafter it would be cased until the years 1952 to 1957, when the loan charges on the existing service and the new service would greatly overlap. Over-riding those considerations is the future of any sort of municipal transport. Will the day come when motor-cars are as cheap as bicycles? If that day ever does arrive, municipalities generally may not need to supply transport services, and if operating costs continue to rise, as they are doing at present, few municipalities would grieve overmuch at being freed from such a responsibility. On the situation as, it stands, however, having regard to the present indebtedness on the trams, their limited life, the cost of a new service, and not being ultra prophetic as to the future of transport, the wise course is to adopt the aity engineer’s recommendation. The city will need a service for* any years to come if it still wishes to retain the links it has forged with its suburban residential areas, and, as far as it is possible to foretell the future, the answer seems to be the trolley bus. Positive action is required in a very limited choice of action.