BUSES IN THE SQUARE

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22727, 3 June 1939, Page 9

BUSES IN THE SQUARE

TO TUB EDITOR OF THE PRESS Sir—Your intimation that the Tramway Board finds that its former fears respecting the effect of the gyratory system on its bus services are groundless is welcome news. It is surprising that the board has been for so long timid and unimaginative in the matter. It now finds that the experiment is not only an improvement for general traffic, but for its own srevices. Perfection has, however, not yet been reached. The buses conform to the new system so far as the bank corner and the post office section is concerned, but after passing that section the buses wig-waggle back southward in front of the Cathedral, and then turn eastward at Dalgety’s corner, where they lapse into the old weakness qf

butting against oncoming traffic. Private cars may not do it, but public buses may. . , A , Instead of turning south m front of the Cathedral they ought to continue eastward past Warner’s and “The Press Office, thus running in the same direction as private traffic. Passengers in the south side of the city could enter their buses on their way to the Square, as at present. Passengers waiting in the Square to go east would enter at the Bristol corner. There would be weather protection there, which is not the case at Dalgety’s. Moreover, it would be handier for business people in the north side. Bus mileage would be saved a little, certainly not increased, Yesterday, after leaving “The Press Office. I crossed to the Government buildings. I reached the middle of the road with its broad arrow pointing westward, and thought only of traffic coming from the east. Suddenly, I was confronted by a red bus travelling fast in direct opposition to the broad traffic arrow on which I had relied. I had to skip for it. Motorists also had to do some quick thinking.—Yours, etc., PEDESTRIAN AND MOTORIST. May 30, 1939. [The general manager to the Christchurch Tramway Board (Mr H, E. Jarman) said that the change of route was on trial, and he had no comment to make at present.]