CITY'S TRAFFIC.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 126, 31 May 1939, Page 4

CITY'S TRAFFIC.

CONTROL CHANGES.

SUGGESTIONS TO COUNCIL

USE OF SIGNAL LIGHTS. I The City Council will discuss to-mor-row evening recommendations which are designed to produce a more effective system of traffic control in Auckland. The proposals, which are based on investigations made in Australia recently by the chairman of the Public Safety Committee, Mr. W. R. Fee, and the Superintendent of Traffic, Mr. Cecil Bland, are that vehicle-actuated traffic signals be installed at the intersections of Queen and Victoria Streets, Queen and Shortland Streets, and Queen and Quay Streets; that finance be made available to permit a total of 10 sets of signals to be installed within two years; that the traffic staff be strengthened; that pedestrian crossings be shifted to intersections; that guard rails be erected along the footpath on each side of Queen Street, between Fort Street and Custom Street, to restrain pedes-

trians from walking on the carriageway: that the by-laws be amended by deleting the clause permitting vehicles to stop for five minutes in prohibited parking areas, and that provision be made restricting the stopping of vehicles on main traffic arteries during peak hours; that further consideration be given to the installation of parking meters; and that omnibus services iu Queen Street on Friday evenings be discontinued. These recommendations are Mr. Bland's, and they are generally supported by others presented by Mr. Fee, who confined his investigations solely to Sydney.

"Unfettered Qontrol." In his report, Mr. Fee deals with the system of control in Sydney, and states that his investigations turned his mind in the direction of what advantages could be obtained in Auckland from & system of unification of control over the whole metropolitan area as it existed under State control in Sydney. There was a concensus of opinion amongst officials in Sydney that the controlling authority must be unfettered in its control. If, for instance, such a scheme as existed there were introduced in Auckland, there mtist be one of two things: (a) the adjacent local bodies must amalgamate with the city in further extension of a greater Aucks land; and (b) the traffic control of alladjacent districts must be handed over to the City Traffic Department without reservation, in the same way as the traffic control of metropolitan Sydney was vested in the Transport Department of Xcw South Wales.

The secret of the control in Sydney was not difficult to follow, for it was appai cut that the position was met bv the ]>ro\ ision of an adequate number of well-trained traffic officers who handled every position courteously, patiently and efficiently, adds Mr. Fee. It was ob\ ious that if in Auckland they were to have the same efficient control, both in legard to vehicles and pedestrians, they must provide considerably more traffic officers, particularly at peak hours. The position could, of course, be greatly assisted by automatic signals, but there was ample scope for both forms of control, the one being complementary to the other.

J ll Sydney, states Mr, Fee, he formed the definite opinion that much greater co-operation existed between the public and the traffic officers than was the case in Auckland. This was undoubtedly accounted for by reason of the stricter and more intimate control that existed consequent on the appearance of an officer at every point of intersection. He Mas satisfied that here they could achieve the same co-operation, but to do so they must give their officers more opportunity of becoming greater specialists in the control of both forms of traffic. This could, in his opinion, only be done by more general control which brought with it an equivalent increase in personnel.

Mr. Fee refers at length to the policy followed with automatic signals in Sydney and explains that he was so impressed with what had been achieved that he had no hesitation in recommending that an early start be made in Auckland on the installation of signals. "Following the experience of Sydney I would suggest that we proceed this year with the installation of, say, five sets of actuated signals, two of "which should be in Queen Street, one in Karangahape Ro;id, one in Svinonds Street Rnd one at the intersection of Khyber Pass with Mountain Road/' states* Mr. Fee.

"Should Not Stand Still."

•It is not suggested that the installation of five sets of signals will solve the traffic of Auckland, and I g that Auckland would be wise in planning for an increase in the number installed year by year. Whether this can be done out of the revenue 01 the Department or not is a matter for consideration. We should, however, not stand still, and should decide 011 a furthei installation of. say, five more sets next year and so continue until we are satisfied the position has been satisfactorily met.'' Mr. Fee supports Mr. Bland's recommendations with respect to pedestrian crossings and states that observations Sydney did not lend any support either to the positions of Auckland's pedestrian crossings or of the method of control. Unless there was a special reason, all pedestrian crossings were to be found in Sydney at the street intersections, and on both sides of the street. The result of investigations regarding' ; parking indicated that thev had done more in Auckland than in Svdney, but , the problem was one that "the 'niotor I interests must face up to themselves, i leaving the controlling authority to 1 assist by making the parking regula- | tion* as reasonable and flexible as . The problem was tou great to \ solve in any other way.

How Signals Operate. Signals of the type proposed for Auckland, explained Mr. Fee this morning, wore actuated by a convex metal stip which extended across the carriageway a little distance before intersections. Any vehicle coming in contact with thi» "pad" caused the signal to operate, and it was possible for traffic to alter the time relay to suit the needs more adequately of one lane of heavy traffic and another of lesser proportions. In short, the signal is set according to the flow of the traffic. For instance, at the Queen Street and Sliortland Street intersection the signal would never operate againßt Queen Street, unless there was a vehicle coming out of Shortland Street. So far as pedestrians were frmeerned it Avas a definite recommendation to the council that in Queen Street they should come under the control either of the traffic officers or signals, just the same way as vehicular traffic. With the signals planned a press button was provided for pedestrians to use if the actuation was unduly delayed.