HEAVY TRAFFIC ON SOUTH ROAD

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21976, 28 December 1936, Page 6

HEAVY TRAFFIC ON SOUTH ROAD

♦ LINE OF CARS FOR MILE AT RAKAIA BRIDGE The unprecedented crowd of visitors from North Canterbury to the Ashburton trotting meeting on Saturday, added to the usual flow of holiday traffic, made the Main South road from Christchurch to Ashburton unusually bus; on Saturday. In the morning the traffic was spread out a good deal, and although it could be seen that there were many cars on the road little idea of the actual number could be gained. The races finished rather later than had been expected, and the cars from Ashburton, combined with holiday makers from further south and from intermediate points along the road to Christchurch, made a continual stream all the way to Christchurch. Every class of vehicle seemed to have been brought into service for the day, and the main highways traffic officer on patrol had a busy time in keeping the faster cars from being too impatient in overtaking older models and the many motor-cycles and side-cars on the r<<;;d. When the flow was at its peak, about 6.30, the Rakaia bridge was closed to allow the InvercargillLyttelton express and then one of the race trains to cross. The bridge was closed for approximately half an hour, and in that time the line from the bridge gates lengthened until when the gates were opened it extended from them to beyond the point where the Main South road turns towai'ds Rakaia township, a distance of nearly one mile. At the bridge one main highways traffic officer kept the line in order, while the other patrolled between there and Chertsey in his car. Near the bridge a group of children kept an unofficial tally of the traffic, and when one "car, near the middle of the waiting line had passed they numbered it 239. RENTAL CARS 3d PER MILE Business firms and others kindly note that we have a large new fleet of Rental Cars (Drive Yourself), large and small, from 10s per day, 3d per mile. Try one out over the weekend. GOLD BAND TAXIS. 142 Tuam street, ’Phone 33-477. Thank you.