LEVEL CROSSINGS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 66, Issue 249, 2 August 1946, Page 2

LEVEL CROSSINGS

POSITION IN ASHBURTON “SOME WILL BE CLOSED,” SAYS MINISTER (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Aug. 1. “It is admitted Iry Railways officiais that these crossings are bad; some of them will be closed, and at others, as soon as the automatic warnihg device arrives, it will be installed,” stated the Minister of Railways (the Hon. R. Semple) in the House of Representatives to-day replying to an urgent question about Ashburton railway crossings. The question was asked by Mr J. T. Watts (National, Riccarton) on behalf of Mr R. G. Gerard (National, Mid-Can-terbury). It inquired whether in view of the large number of accidents, some involving loss of life, occurring at railway crossings in Ashburton the Minister of Railways would examine the position immediately and have any necessary improvements made. The Minister replied that it was the fixed policy of the Railways Department. to install automatic warning devices at railway level crossings in order of urgency, the governing factors being the view obtainable at the crossings and the density of road and rail traffic at the crossings. The war introduced difficulties in the importing of warning devices from overseas, as certain parts could not be obtained. That had held up the Department’s installation programme.

There were> six level crossings at Ashburton, three of these being equipped with warning bells. Only some of the crossings appeared high on the list, and as there was a likelihood of few devices beconv ing available in the near future it was proposed to review the position in respect of the Ashburton crossings. Certain preliminary discussions had already* taken place between officers of the Railways Department and representatives of the Borough Council and the matter would be reopened with the Borough Council with a view to having crossings of minor importance closed and a modern type of automatic warning device installed at those important crossings which should be retained. The Minister added that recognising that the only solution of the level crossing problem hazard was the elimination of crossings, the Government before the outbreak of war embarked upon a comprehensive programme for the removal of crossings by providing overbridges, subways and by constructing deviations. During the present Government’s term of office 122 crossings had been dealt with in that way, involving an expenditure of £844,000. associated with the war necessitated the postponement of further eliminations, but the work would be recommenced as soon as practicable.