BRIDGE OVER CROSSING

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22167, 10 August 1937, Page 8

BRIDGE OVER CROSSING

COLOMBO STREET SCHEME TRAMWAY BOARD IN QUANDARY CHANGES LIKELY IN HANDLING OF HILLS TRAFFIC

The possibility of important changes in the system of transporting tramway passengers between the city, the Cashmere Hills, and Sydenham has had to be considered by the tramway authorities in their preliminary investigations of the modified type of overbridge suggested for the Colombo street crossing. At the moment there 'S virtually a / deadlock between the Christchurch Tramway Board and the Railways Department over the proposal, but it is considered that if a bridge is constructed it will have to be of the shortened type suggested by the department. The modified bridge would involve such a sharp climb up the ramps forming the approaches that the Tramway Board would have to install additional motors in every vehicle using the line to the hills. The present motors would not be capable of the sharp climb over such a short distance, it is claimed, and even with the stronger pulling power would be unable to take trailers up the ramps. This would involve the discontinuance of the use of trailers on the line, a situation which would leave the board in the position of having to find other means of handling the traffic along part of the route. Use of Buses The alternatives which are apparently being considered are; the use of motor or Diesel buses to cater for portion of the traffic, preferably for the hills traffic, or the diversion of all hills tramway traffic to the Barrington street route, with a consequent extension of the Barrington street route to link -with the hills line. It is argued that some such change will be necessary if the shorter ramps are embodied in the overbridge and that the proposal to use buses seems the most likely as a solution, particularly since it would be the least expensive and would fit in better with the board’s likely policy of general future development. One other suggestion, which is said to have the backing of the railway authorities, is that the Tramway Board should use "buses entirely along the Colombo street route to the hills terminus; but the board would need greatly increased plant and apparently meets this proposal with distinct opposition. The traffic along the Sydenham section is possibly the heaviest on any tramway route and it would take a very big fleet of buses, with a greatly augmented time-table, to cope with the requirements. It seems very likely, however, that some change will have to be made, possibly by the use of buses for the hills traffic. Heavy Compensation Whatever the final scheme settled on, it promises to cost the Christchurch Tramway Board a good deal of money. On the other hand, the railway authorities have argued that in any case the board pays portion of the cost of keeping men at the Colombo street crossing to control traffic, and that the construction of the overbridge would relieve the board of that expenditure. The department appears to have taken up the stand tfyat, because of the great cost involved, the proposal for an overbridge with long ramps extending far into Colombo street is not to be entertained. It has been pointed out that these ramps would go so far back that heavy compensation would have to be paid by the department and the Christchurch City Counqil to‘ the owners of property whose access and general view would be blocked by the construction. One other objection which is being raised to the shorter overbridge is that the grade on the ramps would prohibit horse traffic and the heaviest type of haulage from using the crossing. It is intended to propose the erection of an overbridge at the Waltham road crossing, however, and since this will apparently be a bridge with ramps having a much easier grade, that type of traffic would not be very greatly inconvenienced by diverting to Waltham road. In any case the proposed plans for the new station and yard lay-out will probably have the effect of throwing most of the heavier traffic of this sort on to the Waltham road crossing.