TRAMWAY BOARD’S WORK

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25547, 15 July 1948, Page 6

TRAMWAY BOARD’S WORK

Referring to the City Council’s* pro> posal that it should take over the functions of the Christchurch Tramway Board, Mr Somers said the proposed new city boundary was much more logical than ■the present boundary of the Tramway Board’s district. In the Halswell district the. Tramway Board’s area extended considerably beyond the built-up area. There seemed to be no reason why an urban service should be run into rural parts of Halswell, or why that part of Halswell should have to pay Tramway Board rates and be included in the district. Mr Somers mentioned several disadvantages of the present set-up of tramways. All city streets and soil were vested in the city, but the Tramway Board had rights which derogated from the vesting and control. The location of tram routes and stops Was made largely independently of the local authorities, and the location of rails was made with little regard to general requirements. There had been several differences of opinion about traffic control in the Square, and several conferences had been unsuccessful. Trams continued to run in a direction contrary to other traffic, "to the annoyance, and. at timed, danger of other traffic.’’

The Tramway Board had power to lay, relay, or lift tracks, and break open roads, subject only to short notice being given to the local authority, and a qualified measure of superintendence, and any conditions in the promoter’s charter. “The board can carry out its operations in its own time without the sanction oi the council, and this could lead to unfortunate results.” Mr Somers said. "Although there has been fair co-operation m the past, it has been very far from complete. The council has desired to reconstruct a road and the board has not been prepared to regrade and relay its track at the same time. Conversely, when the board wished to act the council was not prepared to carry cut road construction. Again, trouble has been experienced in cases where the authorities have not been prepared to adopt the same type of construction. “Reconstruction will be frequent in the future as tram tracks are abandoned in favour of buses. From a construction and maintenance viewpoint amalgamation of the roading department of the council and the Tramway Board should certainly promote economies.” The pooling of plant and the use of workshops would also save money, he added.