STRONG PROTEST.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 123, 27 May 1930, Page 8

STRONG PROTEST.

ALBERT STREET TRAMS. QUEEN STREET'S INTERESTS. ALTERNATIVES SUGGESTED. POINTS FOR CONSIDERATION. The suggestion by the tramways manager; Mr. A. E. Ford, that the Transport • Board should construct a tram line along Albert Street, to prevent congestion in Queen Street, • was responsible for a deputation, whose numbers more than filled the board room, waiting on the board this morning. Mr. F. N. Andrews said the deputation represented Queen • Street propertyowners and traders, and also some Albert Street property-owners. They were ot opinion that there was no real congestion of traffic in Queen Street. They suggested that there were various ways iu which the movement of trams in and out of Queen Street might be improved. Dual control at the junction of Queen and Wellesley Streets should be discontinued, and the com'plete control of trams should bo under the traffic officer on duty. During peak load hours no vehicle should be allowed to cross over the rails between Wellesley Street and Customs Streets. The adoption of these two suggestions would tend greatly to increase the speed of traffic in and out of the main business centre. Railway Negotiations. Referring to a report that negotiations ■were proceeding between the Railway Department and the board in respect to the conveyance of passengers to and from the new railway station, the deputation were of opinion that an unsatisfactory suggestion of the board was the running of extra cars between the station and the foot of Queen Street and a line along Albert Street. Other methods than the use of trams should bo devised as far as station passengers "were concerned. The board had a great responsibility. The proposed alteration would affect thousands of residents who had been accustomed to be carried to the centre of the shopping area and who wished to still be carried to that point. It was the board's business to carry those passengers to the place they desired to reach.,. Might Create New Shopping Area. "It is not the business of the board," said Mr. Andrews "to take any step with a view to creating another shopping area." In some quarters it had been stated that trams in Albert Street svould mean the development of that street as a retail shopping area. Should the board, after consideration, decide that it was impossible to continue to do what had been the custom of the past, then the deputation submitted that tehe board could not possibly object to the thousands of residents affected being brought into Queen Street by some other method of transport without any price penalty. "Most Inconvenient." . Speaking in support, Mr. L. A. Eady said the great majority of Queen' Street business men viewed the proposal with considerable concern. The entire diversion of western suburban tram cars would be most inconvenient for Queen Street shoppers and the travelling public generally. With the exception of Customs Street West all the connecting streets from Queen Street were hilly and would impose an unfair hardship on the average shopper. . "It is impossible to avoid the economic aspect" continued Mr. Eady. "In his report, the tramways manager is re-, ported to have stated the estimated cost is £29,000, that the saving of one straight-shift run will amount to £330.0, against which has to be placed £2465 per annum for Capital charges; that the construction of the proposed line will not directly induce increased revenue beyond the estimated savings. From this the position appears to be that an estimated saving of £835 will be effected by the proposed new route, an estimated margin of 2.7 per. cent. We submit that this estimate does not provide a sufficiefltly substantial and safe margin to cover possible reduction in passenger revenue, cost of track maintenance and incidental." ' Effect on Capital Values. Queen Street and its immediate vicinity was responsible for a very substantial proportion of the total rates collected by the Auckland City Council for its administration. Existing Queen Street values were high only by reason of the business resulting from the ease with which the street could be reached from all points of the. city by existing transport. The proposed diversion of trams would mean the diversion of at least 19,000 passengers from Queen Street daily. The.effect on capital values was bound to be felt almost immediately and it was a very moot point whether, an increase in value in and around Albert Street would be commensurate with the drop in Queen Street figures. Complications in Town Planning. Practically as important was the town planning aspect. It was obvious that parallelling of the main street tram lines with another tram route within a distance of only 110 to 176 yards, and the diversion of so many people from the main street must so affect the development of the general city planas to require the most careful consideration by the Town Planning Committee of the . City Council. That also specially ap- . plied to traffic control. It was submit- . ted that Albert Street from a traffic , standpoint is not suitable for fixed rail traffic by reason of its reduced width in places and the fact that it was virtually a two-level street. As members of the board must be aware, it had been found that in most modern' cities the only solution of motor traffic congestion was the provision of streets, free from fixed rail traffic, and immediately adjacent to main -street tram routes. To-day Albert Street did afford considerable relief to Queen Street motor traffic congestion. The effect of tramcars in Albert Street would be to seriously retard such relief. Questions Asked. The chairman, Mr. J. AC. Allum, Wished to know whether there would 5 objection to the tram cars. commg into-the city.'one way and going out route. For instancy would they mind if the trams came m via Hobson Street or Ansae Avenue, and went tack via Queen, Street. ; - - - Mr. Eady.saiditheVsuggestion made byone/or/two-members of the deputation. ' ' '• ' Mr M. J. Coyle asked if.the passen-J-T were set down at Customs Street, 6 they would go, if not mtopueen street? ' /• ■ '

I Mr. Eady pointed out that the people b would have to climb up a steep grade to get back to the trams in Albert Street. Customs Street was the only thoroughfare on the Albert Street level. Hilly streets were an inconvenience and 1 a hardship. Mr. E. J. Phelan said the deputation had said nothing in respect to the saving of tram travelling time, which meant ' j five or ten minutes at peak hours, owing I to the confusion being prevented. | Mr. Eady said they had definite views in regard to peak-loading problems. The deputation suggested that the existing routing was ample to get the people home quickly. Mr. Phelan wished to know if the deputation represented the general public or merely business interests ? Mr. Andrews said the deputation spoke on behalf of residents of the western suburbs, who wished to be brought into Queen Street. Chairman's Reply. In reply, Mr. Allum said the board had no desire to create any new shopping centres. All they aimed at was to deal justly witli existing conditions. They did not wish to harm anybody,; but to act justly by all. In bringing! down the report, which had not yet been considered by the board, Mr. Ford was of opinion that the proposal was in the best interests of the public. He wished to bring passengers to a point as close to Queen Street as possible. The question was a most important one and would have the serious consideration of members. . . I