BOTTLE-NECK.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19666, 9 July 1929, Page 10

BOTTLE-NECK.

♦ PROPOSAL TO BUY LAND.

ISLAND FOR PEDESTRIANS. Negotiations were set in train by tae City Council last evening for the purcaase of land to viden the "bottle-neck." The By-laws and Finance Committee reported : The Committee is of opinion that the question of widening Colombo street at the Bank of New Zealand corner ! should be again considered, and requests authority to open negotiations with the bank in connexion with the matter. ! Authority was given. The By-laws Committee also reported : On the recommendation of the special Committee it has been arranged for an experimental island for pedestrians to be placed for a fortnight in Colombo street between the Bank of New Zealand and the United Service Hotel, the island to be six feet in length and its height and width to be fixed by the City Engineer. Cr. J. A. Flesher hoped that the second clause would be taken back by the Committee, claiming that the width between the tracks would be too narrow for the purpose. He drew attention to an Order-in-Council whku laid it down that in addition to the overhang of the trams there should be a certain clearance between them, which would have the effect of reducing the space to 2 feet 3 inches. Nearly a Sacrifice. Cr. E. R. McCombs congratulated the Committee on its efforts to improve conditions for the citizens at a very busy point. "In fact, I was nearly run down there myself the other day,'* she added. She wondered if it would not have been in the interests of the pedestrians had she been killed. The Mayor: In the interests of the citizens, did you say? (Laughter.) Cr. McCombs hoped that if the clause was taken back the Committee would bring down a substitute proposal She complained that when a motorist was given the signal by a man on point duty to come on he usually accelerated his engine. She considered that all traffic should be controlled by traffic inspectors. Cr. H. T. J. Thacker stated that from his remarks Cr. Flesher would have made a good Councillor in Noah's Ark. The fact was that all the Committee dealing with traffic control were in favour of the proposal but Cr. Flesher. The proposed isiand was not to be a permanency but only a temporary measure. The ordinance referred to by Cr. Flesher was as out-of-date as he was himself. The proposed island was similar to hundreds in London at busy points and had been recommended by Mr Henry Cotterill. It had been supported by the Chief Traffic Inspector (Mr H. Macintosh), the Assistant Inspector, and all the traffic staff. The curse of the bottleneck was the trams. Cr. Flesher was opposed to the scheme because it was not his "baby." He did not want to see anything succeed in Christchurch unless he fathered it. When an experiment had recently been carried out with the island, trams had got past those demonstrating without difficulty. The Safety Zone. Cr. F. R. Cooke said be felt inclined to support the island because he had seen the success of the previous one in the Square. Cr. D. G. Sullivan, M.P.: Cook Island.

Cr. Cooke said that it was all the same whether one was hit by a tram or a motor-car, either put a person under the sod. He was going to vote for the island, and if it was not a success he would vote for an iron bridge, costing not more than £IOOO, to be built at the "bottle-neck."

Cr. E. H. Andrews said the proposal would mean an absurd waste of money. Trams passed one another at the point, and people standing on the island would shiver till they fell. They were asked to put a premium on people crossing the lines at the wrong place. Cr. Cooke: They hare only to look one way when they get to the island. Cr. H. T. J. Thaoker: Let Cr. Andrews go on; he'll drown himself in time. Cr. Andrews: Cr. Thaekcr has been talking about babies. Well, babies are dipped, aren't theyp I wish they would dip him deep and keep him down for a while. He said the only proper way of controlling traffic was to stop pedestrian traffic when wheeled traffic was moving. That was what was being done elsewhere. He hoped they woula station traffic inspectors at the corner to hold up wheeled pedestrian traffic alternately. Cr. A. E. Armstrong supported the idea of the island. The one in front of the Railway Station had been a success, he said. Cr. Flesher had always been an advocate of increased fares on the trams, and this was what caused the streets to be full of pedestrians. If the tram sections cost a penny or a halfpenny the business man would not walk. If the fares were reduced half of the bicvcles in Christchurch would be scrapped. Bicycles were the main menace to the pedestrians in this City. Motorists Careful Drivers. Cr. T. H. Butterfield said he could not support the island scheme. Before the island was there very long, both it and the pedestrians would go together. Traffic at the "bottle-neck" had to be kept going. The majority of motorists were careful drivers and accidents usually happened because people would not get out of the road. People who stood and talked on the road and would not shift were a menace.

Cr. M. E. Lyons described the proposal as a most peculiar one. The tram drivers should be given some consideration, and he was sure the Tramway Employees' Union would be averse from too many pedestrian crossings. He suggested that the Committee should take the proposal back and consult the union. He did not know what would happen if Cr. Thacker and himself struck the 27-inch platform together. They might stop the trams. At all the important crossings traffic would have to be controlled in the interests of pedestrians. "For goodness sake don't let us widen out the crossings," appealed Cr. Lyons. This would do away with all they had beeh trying to do for the last four or five years. Cr. P. W. Sharpe said they could not have too many experiments. He had been wondering whether trams could not be stooped from crossing at the "bottle-neck." Cr. Flesher: They don't cross, they pass. Cr. Sharpe: I should have been a lawyer before I came on this Council. The chief recommendation of the island was that it was an experiment. C r . W. Williamson said he was opposed to the island. He did not remember an accident in that part. "When Colombo street had been reconstructed pedestrian crossings should have been outlinedin white cement or some similar material. Only an Experiment. The Mayor (Mr J. K. Archer) said the experiment was only for two weeks, and he did not see how anything but good could come out of the trial. Cr. Flesh er said nobody could point to a place anywhere in the world where an Hand was placed between tram tracks. The City Engineer might find

himself prosecuted for placing an obstruction on the roadway contrary to the Oider-m-Council of the Tramway Board. Not a single attempt had been made to carry out the by-law which compelled pedestrians to cross intersections between parallel lines. The Council would make itself a laughing stock by adopting the proposal. Cr. Armstrong knew nothing whatever about tho tramways. The scheme would not have been supported if it had not come from a certain quarter. Cr. Thacker said that if Cr. Flesher had such good ideas, it was remarkable that he had not put them into effect when ho was Mayor. Cr. D. G. Sulfivan, M.P., said the proposal had been put forward by Mr Henry Cotterill. The representatives of the Automobile Association had supported the establishment of the island and others in various places. He was not prepared to give an opinion as to whether the island would be a success or not. It was in his mind that a traffic inspector should be told off to watch the experiment closely for a day or two. No new proposal in this City was ever right. Any proposal immediately divided the people into ferocious factions. If within a few days observation showed the island to* be a danger it should be taken away. "I agree it is a revolutionary idea." said Cr Sullivan. Instructions would bo (riven that the experiment would be carried out with the "reatest possible regard for safety. The Oief Tr»mc Inspector thought the island should be a deal larger and his assistant doubted very much whether it would be n success.

The clause was adopted by n'np votes to eifrht. the division beint? as follows: —Aves: Cr*. Sullivan. AT-Combs. Cnoke. Sharoe. Armstrong. n nd thf» Mavor. <">*. Flesher TjuttcrfieM. "Reaven. J Parlane, "Williamson T/vr»n« and Andrews. Regulation of Pedestrians. Th® By-laws Committee also reported : P l 6 Committee has instructed the Chief Traffic Inspector to post inspeo ™ rs by way of trial at the intersection of Colombo and Cashel streets for the purpose of enforcing the regulation relating to pedestrians crossing be* tween the lines marked on the road- , traffic to be stopped to allow ans CTOSS A- Flesher expressed the hope mat the proposal would also be tried m other parts of the City. ra * r congratulated the Committee or its propona] and hooed that bicycles would also be controlled. „ S r ; ** T - J- Thacker a'so expressed satisfaction with the proposal. ine clause was adopted.