TRACK REPAIRS

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22511, 20 September 1938, Page 8

TRACK REPAIRS

Buses on Fendalton

Route?

PROBLEM FOR TRAMWAY

BOARD

Faced with heavy expenditure on track repairs, the • Christchurch Tramway Board is likely to discuss this week the substitution of motorbuses for trams on the FendaltonOpawa line. The repairing of tram tracks on several; lines is now considered a work for the early attention of the board, and it will be discussed by the works and traffic committee of the board next Friday afternoon, and a report submitted to the board the following day. . Among the lines on which repair work is to be considered are Fendalton-Opawa the _New Brighton route in Cashel sweet east of Madras street, and the short stretch in Colombo street between Cathedral square and Armagh street. Reference to the boards about the abandonment of traces was made at the. last meeting of the board early this month. It was then reported by the works and traffic committee that the board was not losing sight of the abandonment of track on some routes, but tne heavy expenditure involved was a difficulty. Any changeover must be gradual, the report said. The report went on to say that in the meantime the maintenance 01 permanent way was a big problem. In the last 16 years the costs of maintenance and renewals permanent way had been £ 219,15 a and £159,705. respectively, » or £378,855—an average of £ 23,67b- a year. The board's tracks had suffered heavily during the winter and an inspection of all tracks had recently been made.