TRAM NUMBERS

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 56, 30 November 1926, Page 5

TRAM NUMBERS

DESTINATION AND ROUTES “PUBLIC OFTEN MISLED” A deputation consisting of Messrs. J. 11. Whittaker and D. McLaren, and Mrs. Moore (of the Civic League) and Mr. R. Sinel (representing the residents of Island Buy), interviewed the Tramways Committee of the City Council yesterday afternoon, and presented several complaints chiefly respecting destination and route numbers of tram-cars.

Mr. Sinel, who in the first place remarked that the Wellington system of tramways was easily first in New Zealand, said that up till recently that applied to everything , but since the Wallace Street and Wakefield Street lines had been opened, it was sometimes difficult for a person to find the right car by its destination number. There was a very, simple system in use the world over, whereby a certain number would indicate a certain route and destination, so that even a stranger had no difficulty in finding his wav about. Such a system was needed in Wellington far more than in any other city in New Zealand, because of the large floating population, but curiously enough it was not .in use. They found No. 1 cars (Island Bay) proceeding to Karori or Oriental Bay and No. 9 cars (Oriental Bay) going to Island Bay. One night he had come out of a theatre, and catching sight of “Bay 1” boarded the car, sure that he was on the Island Bay car, but later found out his mistake and had to leave the car at the end of Courtenay Place. .Mr. Sinel quoted other instances to show that the department was not adhering to its own destination numbers (as exhibited in enamelled plates at route junctions), and stated that though these matters had been- referred to the tramways manager, there had been no improvement It was so easv to have a complete number system, and to issue a little penny booklet that would set it out clearly. Mr. Sinel also brought up Ere matter of a transfer ticket, saying it was favoured in nearly every place in the world. There was no need to dwell on the benefit that would be conferred if cne could get a transfer at John Street, or at the Manners Street-Willis Street corner, to or from Brooklyn. This would be an immense convenience that would make no difference to the revenue. Mr. Whittaker asked that cars pulling up in Ohiro Road (Brooklyn end) should be shifted a car’s length to enable mortorists to pull up on the flat, and Mr. McLaren asked for a sight alteration in the stopping place of tramcars at the Oriental Bay terminus, to obviate motor-cars having to make too sudden a swerve when appraching Carlton Gore Road. The Mavor said that the representations of the deputation would be carefully considered. The tramways manager (who was present) would go into the matters mentioned and report as to the position. As to the route numbers, there was a good deal of soundness in the suggestions made. The transfer ticket proposal was a subject of some little difficulty, for one reason, owing to the universal threepenny fare, which be was anxious to guard. A transfer ticket on such a fare would be conceding a tremendous range.