MINIMUM FARE TRAMCARS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1043, 4 February 1911, Page 4

MINIMUM FARE TRAMCARS.

A "RUSH H0U11" DEVICE. The City Trannniy Department recently notified the Miramnr Borough Council •that the question of running minimum fare cars to Miramar and Seatoun during the evening rush hour would be considered when the new system of workers' privilege tickets had been brought into operation. Questioned yesterday on this subject, Air. M. Cable (assistant tramways engineer) stated that the. Tramways Amendment Act of 1910 made it legal for the promoters of a tramway to run minimum fare cars—that is to say, special cars carrying exclusively passengers over two or more sections at one fare'for the whole journey. The idea of charging a minimum fare on.cars proceeding to the outlying suburbs is to reserve them for the use of suburban residents, and prevent •these people being crowded out by shortdistance passengers.

In "Wellington minimum fare cars have proved useful in conveying passengers to tho Athletic Park when the traffic has been heavy as a result of some special attraction. They have also teen tried on the Island Bay and Ivarori lines during rush hours, but here they did not prove particularly useful. It was found that workers' cars travelling out to the suburb? were crowded while minimum fare cars running at about the same time were neglected. It is anticipated that the now system of workers' tickets, which is -to come into operation shortly, will considerably modify tho conditions hitherto obtaining, and afford a new opening for minimum fare cars. When the new system is instituted, the special workers' cars now running in the evening will bo done a\i;ay with. Passengers who have obtained workers' tickets in the morning will be privileged to return by any car up to 6.30 p.m. on ordinary week days, and 1.30 p.m. on Saturdays. It is in view of this consideration that the Tramway Department has deferred consideration of the Miramnr Borough Council's application, as stated above.