LEVEL CROSSING DANGER

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 33, 9 February 1928, Page 8

LEVEL CROSSING DANGER

MORNINGSIDE RESIDENTS' PROTEST. POSITION AT ARGYLE STREET. TEMPORARY RELIEF WANTED. The level crossing menace in their district roused residents of Morningsidc to protest at a meeting held last evening at the inar'ion of the Railway Department and the local authority in safeguarding the Argylc Street crossing. The Mayor of Mount Albert, Mr. L. E. Rhodes, presided.

Reporting that he had statistics as to the volume of traffic at the crossing, the convener. Mr. J. Toomnth, said that on December 23, between 7 a.m. and noon and 1.30 p.m. and 7 p.m. C 73 vehicles passed across Argylc Street. On January 15, -11)7 vehicles were recorded, while on the morning of the following Saturday three vehicles passed everv two minutes. When the wind was blowing from a southerly direction it was impossible to hear the approach of a train, and Mr. Tooniath moved that tho Borough Council be urged to place a man at the crossing to warn traffic and pedestrians until more adequate protection could be found.

Mr. Rhodes said the council was fully cognisant of the gravity of the position, and had made frequent appeals to the Department to improve it. Ho suggested that the Department would be less likely to act if it was aware that the council had offered to provide temporary protection at the crossing. It was decided, therefore, to make a direct appeal to the Department for the services of a signalman. At the suggestion of Captain W. Atwell the meeting expressed the view that it was entirely dissatisfied with the present arrangement with regard to the crossing. It was agreed to urge the erection of a traffic bridge as soon as possible and appeal for temporary protection in the meantime. Copies of the resolutions are to bo forwarded to the Minister of Railways and the local members of Parliament.