Appeals Against Refusal Of Invercargill Bus Services

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27395, 7 July 1954, Page 15

Appeals Against Refusal Of Invercargill Bus Services

Appeals against decisions of the No. 10 Transport Licensing Authority on applications for passenger services by Midland Motorways Services, Ltd., and the Railways Department were heard in Christchurch yesterday by Judge Archer, the Transport Licensing Appeal Authority. One, by the Railways Department, against the granting of a Sunday bus service between Dunedin and Christchurch to Midland Motorways, was dismissed. Decision was reserved on the others.

Midland Motorways Services had applied to operate a trunk service between Christchurch and Invercargill on seven days of the week. It also desired to operate a new service between Dunedin and Christchurch, leaving Dunedin at 8.30 a.m. The Railways had also applied for a service between Christchurch and Dunedin leaving the terminals at 1 p.pi. Evidence was heard last year in Invercargill, Dunedin, and Christchurch by the No. 10 Licensing Authority, who disallowed all the applications with the exception of Midland Motorways Sunday service to Dunedin. The cases heard yesterday by Judge Archer were appeals against these decisions. Mr R. A. Young represenetd Midland Motorways Services, and Mr J. H. O. Tiller appeared for the Railways Department. The appeal in respect of the Dun-edin-Christchurch service was to be directed 4o obtaining the service only on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, said Mr Young. Some time ago the department reinstated its 8.45 a.m. train leaving Dunedin on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. But on the days the department operated its train there would be no connexion with services leaving Christchurch between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. for outlying districts because the train did not arrive until 5 p.m. These connexions would, however, be made by Midland if its proposed services were granted. The company felt that it would be feasible to operate the service on the days the train did rim, but the appeal would be limited to those days mentioned.

The department had, originally, said there would be ho demand for the Christchurch-Dunedin bus service. And yet, in the first year of operation 21,000 passengers had been carried. At the time of that hearing the Dunedin train left Christchurch at 8.35 a.m. Since then the' department had increased the frequency of their services to “an extraordinary extent,” said Mr Young. While the hearing was pending the 5 p.m. train had been reinstated, and other passenger services had been added. All of which went to prove Midland’s original contention that in modern transport operation the frequency of the services was the deciding factor. By shortening trains, or increasing the number of buses running over a given route, the public was encouraged to travel. But, although the department stepped up frequency on the route to Dunedin, it did nothing over the final

stage to Invercargill, Mr Young said. Witnesses at the Invercargill hearing had spoken of their isolation. Compared with other cities in New Zealand of comparable size Invercargill was very poorly served. The air service between Invercargill and Taieri (with D.H. Dominie aircraft) was poor. The decision of the authority on Midland Motorways ChristchurchInvercargill application was in accordance with the weight of evidence, Said Mr Tiller. “I submit that there is no evidence to suggest that Dunedin or Invercargill folk desire services such as Midland suggest between the two cities. The Railway bus timetable has since been altered, along with services to Queenstown and Te Anau, so that the whole, network connects with the Midland service to Christchurch.”

Against the granting of the Sunday service to Midland. Mr Tiller said that the department’s 11 p.m. train would serve passengers equally as well as Midland’s 5 p.m. bus. Train services'between Dunedin and Christchurch had been curtailed during the war because of coal and staff shortages which had continued until recently, said Mr Tiller. They were being replaced as it became possible.

It was clear that, because of the rearrangement of railway bus services north from Dunedin, passengers from Invercargill to Christchurch would gain nothing by Midland’s proposal to run right through. “The department is prepared to provide any reasonable service required by the public,” he said. Railcars on South Line

The introduction of rail-cars on the Christchurch-Invercargill line was the subject of long debate. “I do not expect that your company wants to £o. through all this and then lose its licence when the rail-car services begin,” said Judge Archer. ‘ T We are not convinced that there will ever be rail-cars on this service,” said Mr Young. “This seems to be the only line which has not been mentioned. If rail-cars are never going on this route why should not people have a bus service when there is a company ready, and willing to provide it?” “The department has been at some pains at times to set out what they are going to do with these rail-cars,” said Mr Young. “With 35 new vehicles and 15 they already have they intend to dispose 50 rail-cars about the country. The line in question has not been men- i tioned as one for rail-car operation.” “I have no authority to say when the rail-cars will be introduced where,” said Mr Tiller.

“If you could give me a solemn assurance that they would be running on this line within 12 months, it would help your case,” said Judge Archer. “The press is here. I have no authority to say anything,” said Mr Tiller. “Why are you afraid of the press?” said Judge Archer. To this there was no answer from Mr Tiller, but later, when Mr Young said that Mr Tiller could not say if railcars would be on the line within 10 years he responded with: .“Rail-cars will be on this route within 18 months.”