CHRISTCHURCH TRAMWAYS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18107, 24 June 1924, Page 5

CHRISTCHURCH TRAMWAYS.

MEETING OF BOARD.

A meeting of the Christchurch Tramway Board was held yesterday. Present—MV H. Pearce (chairman), the Hon. J. Barr, Messrs D. Sykes, W. J. Walter, J. W. Beanland, Q. T. Booth, J. ; A. Fksher, and S. A. Staples. A letter was received from the Railway Department stating that the lease of the Board's siding at Christchurch would empire on June 30th, and offering a renewal of same. It was decided to write the Department requesting that a longer lease be granted in future. ! The Municipal Electricity Department wrote asking if the Board would be prepared to sell the Department a portion of land in North Avon road, for the erection of a Richmond sub-station. The letter waa referred to the Works and Traffic Committee. The Woolston Burgesses' Association wrote requesting the Board to experiment with oil road spraying for dust abatement. The letter was received. . A further letter was received from the Woolston Burgesses' Association asking tho Board to lay tar macadam on its lines in Ferry rood, Woolston. The letter was referred to the Works Committee.

Works and Traffic Report,

The Works and. Traffic Committee reported that every year saw an increase in motor and other vehicular traffic in the city, and the committeo felt that, consistent with efficient tramway working, the Board should wherever possible minimise the troubles wnich were inseparable from this congestion. As the tracks on the west side of the Square would reach renewal stage in about two years' time, the committee thought that the necessary renewal work should be done sooner in order that a better clearance be afforded for vehicular traffic. When the present layout was plannefl, room had to be left for a carriers' stand round the old Godley Statue site. The carriers were no longer there, and it was possible to close up the tramway area on the south. This could be done by moving over the double tracks which at present ran close to the Post Office corner. The present clearance was 16 feet. It could be increased to 29 feet. This arrangement would also give more room for passengers waiting for cars in front of the Post Office, whose numbers on show and race days were large. It was also proposed to move the track in Worcester street West into the centre of the road. With the Lichfield street track in use, Biccarton care no longer travelled eastwards in Worcester street, which was used only for outgoing cars. At present the distance on the north side (which had to be used by the eastward road traffic), between rail and kerb, was only 10 feet, with SO feet on the south Bide. With the track in the centre there would be 20- feet on each side. . Both these changes would also mean that the clearance between rail arid kerb at the Royal Exchange Corner would be increased from 14 feet to 20 Feet, and at the A.M.P. corner from 8 feet! to 17 feet. By a rearrangement of pole positions now in progress, tho number of centre poles would b« reduced by two. ' The report was adopted.