Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1935. MOTOR TRAFFIC REGULATION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 27, 13 November 1935, Page 6

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1935. MOTOR TRAFFIC REGULATION.

The action of the Borough Council in* adopting a by-law prohibiting the. parking of cars in certain streets for longer than half an hour will be approved by the general body of motorists as well as by other users of the public thoroughfares. The practice of leaving vehicles for long periods —one member of the Council did no more than state a fact when he said that in some cases cars remained all day — has increased to such an extent as to cause serious congestion of traffic, even in the less busy streets of the business area, while the position in the busier ones has become a positive scandal. The trouble is due to the inconsiderateness of a section of cardrivers, who disregard the rights of their fellow-citizens, the restriction will entail no hardship. The Council has provided ample parking space handy to the centre, and if any one’s business is of such magnitude that half an hour is not sufficient for it, a few minutes walk —at the outside—will not entail appreciable addition to the visit to town and may, on the other hand, be advantageous to health. But the attention given by the Council to motor traffic may well be enlarged to ensure better observance of the by-laws in other respects. Every hour sees some motorist disregard the regulation regarding the drawing up of cars.. Parking feet away from the kerbing is a common practice; it is not unusual to see stationary cars, unoccupied as well as occupied, well on to the crown of the road. Another breach is double banking, which is to be condemned on more than one ground. Then in respect to cars on the official parking places, there is great need for regulation. The rule for parking at an angle is often disregarded altogether and in many cases in which the principle is borne in mind the stipulated angle is not adhered to. The growth of motor traffic demands stricter attention . to these details, from the point of view of avoidance of accidents and from that of minimising delay and mconvenience to proceeding traffic. _ Ihe by-laws relating to motor traffic are by no means irksome, and offenders against them should be dealt with strictly, in justice to the great majorit} who faithfully observe the requirements.