RAILWAY TRAFFIC

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 103, 28 October 1933, Page 10

RAILWAY TRAFFIC

PASSENGER TRIPS

INCREASE NOTED

"A pleasing feature of the year's operations is the increase in ordinary passenger journeys as compared with the preceding year," states the report of the Government Railways Board, presented to Parliament today. "This result may be ascribed very largely to the substantial reduction in return fares which became -effective on September 20, 1931. The increase in the namber of ordinary passenger journeys during the year was 141,166, and, although this was not sufficient to meet tho whole of the loss of revenue involved in giving effect to the reduction, the fact that a continued decrease in traffic has been turned into a substantial increase shows the wisdom of tho policy that was adopted by the board in bringing into force the new sealo of fares. It has been the aim of the board not only to exploit to the fullest possible extent existing travel ideas, but it has been continually on the lookout for new ideas that would make for stimulation of the railwaypassenger business. The board, in coming to its decision to reduce the ordinary fares, realised that the immediate effect on tho Department's finances would bo a fairly substantial loss of revenue, and while the board felt confident that the reduction in fares would result in an almost immediate increase in tho number travelling by rail—as the result has proved—it looked_ to obtaining much assistance in reducing the effect of its immediate financial loss on the ordinary passenger business by_ a vigorous development of the special passenger business. Much has been done in this latter direction, and an improvement of no less than 367,004 in the number of passenger journeys dealt with in the year compared with the previous year indicates the gratifying nieasuro of success that has attended these efforts. "Passenger journeys at the standard fare increased by 141,166, or 4.9 per cent., which is the first occasion since 1926 that the traffic under this heading has not shown, a decline. The revenue from this class of ticket decreased by £116,954 (12.3 per cent.). The decline occurred in the first half of the year, when the comparison was with the period before which the fares had been reduced. Although the reduction in fares was followed by a substantial improvement iv the volume of traffic, it was not quite sufficient to balance the loss caused.by the fare reductions. Revenue, however, showed a steady and continuous upward tendency throughout the year. A factor , which militated against the figures of the year under review was the incidence of Easter, no Easter period occurring in the 1932-33 financial year, while the accounts for the previous year contain the revenue from two Easter periods. The com-, parative loss on this account may .be set down at approximately £50,000. SUBURBAN TRAFFIC. . "Suburban traffic improved during the year, an increase of 117,285 journeys and £1694 in revenue being recorded. The .principal gain was in the Auckland suburban area, where the suburban fares were reduced in September, 1931. Smaller increases are shown in tho Christchurch and Invercargill districts where the operations of the Transport Licensing Act have resulted in an increase in rail passengers. "Traffic at special fares improved by 108,553 journeys and by £7423 in revenue. Market-day tickets, special excursions to selected places, and tho regular Sunday excursions, have been well patronised throughout tho year, and tho results obtained indicate that the Department's efforts to cater for this class of traffic have been appreciated by the general public. In 1926 the total passenger journeys for this class of traffic amounted to 657,357 and the revenue to £48,904. For the year under review the total journeys amounted to 1,803,146 and the revenue to £131,136, a gain of 1.145,789 in journeys* and an improvement of £82,232 in revenue. "The revenue from season tickets amounted to £176,193, a decrease of £24,456. The principal decrease was in workers' weekly tickets, which declined by £4448, which decline^ is due to the serious unemployment in city and suburban areas where this class of ticket is available. Weekly twelve-trip tickets declined by £2145, and school season tickets by £1725. A'decline of £6976 is shown under fifty-trip bearer tickets, which were withdrawn from issue in September, 1931; but an increase of £3885 in twelve-trip bearer tickets indicates that a proportion of those' who, previously vised tho fiftytrip ticket are now purchasing twelvetrip tickets. Sectional annual tickets, which are largely used by commercial firms, declined by £6386, due principally to firms reducing their sales staffs." ■