BECKENHAM BUS SERVICE

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25276, 30 August 1947, Page 8

BECKENHAM BUS SERVICE

BUILDING OF BRIDGE AT BIRDWOOD 1 AVENUE

HEATHCOTE COUNTY COUNCIL REPLY TO BOARD “This opens up an old agitation,” said Mr F. W. Freeman, chairman of the Heathcote County Council, at a meeting of the council last evening when a letter from the Christchurch Tramway Boar*d asking the council if it would be prepared to build a road bridge in place of the footbridge atlhe foot of Birdwood avenue, if a bus service was introduced in the Beckenham district, was received. “Our people wanted the bridge at Malcoln avenue and the Bowenvale people at Birdwood avenue. The City Council favoured neither scheme and the whole thing went up in smoke.” said Mr Freeman. A recent letter from the City Council to the Tramway Board, a copy of which was received by the county council, said that the works committee of ~ the City Council had considered the matter and. decided that were many bridges to be built before one at Birdwood avenue, •and that construction of a bridge there was unlikely for some time. “This reply cuts the ground from under our feet,’ said Mr Freeman. The county inspector, Mr E. S. Johnson, said he was chairman of the Beckenham Burgesses’ Association, which was agitating for the bus service at Beckenham, and it was the opinion of the association that the bridge at Birdwood avenue was irrelevant to the Question of the bus service. “The Tramway Board is only using it as an excuse.” said Mr Johnson. Mr Freeman: The*Tramway Board (hen is wanting us to spend £2OOO on a bridge at Birdwood avenue so that buses can be run to Bowenvale. We cannot take it on without the help of the City Council. It w&s decided to advise the Tramway Board accordingly, and to state that the council accepted the City Council’s interpretation of the importance of priority work. .A councillor: The City Council derided to build a bridge some years ago at Birdwood avenue and timber and steel were on the spot ready for the commencement of the construction. The residents protested and the material was withdrawn.