40,000 VEHICLES IN JAM AT OHAKEA

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28549, 31 March 1958, Page 8

40,000 VEHICLES IN JAM AT OHAKEA

Cars Bumper-To-Bumper For 50 Miles (New Zealand Press Association) PALMERSTON NORTH, March 30. The vast concentration of cars—estimated at 40,000—which took 150,000 spectators to Ohakea yesterday to see the air display to celebrate the R.N.Z.A.F.’s 21st birthday, became unsnarled in the worst traffic jam in New Zealand's road history. The traffic position became utterly hopeless shortly after 9 a.m. and by then the bumper-to-bumper queues of cars exceeded 50 miles. It took more than four hours to make the 17mile journey from Palmerston North and about six hours to travel the 93 miles to Wellington. But if the trip in the morning was protracted and tedious, it was nothing compared with the return journey when the greatest difficulty was encountered releasing cars from the official parking areas inside the station. Many cars which joined the queues at 4.30 p.m. did not get outside the station area until between 7.30 and 8 p.m. or even later.

Heavy rain from 7.30 p.m. onwards hampered the traffic clearance considerably and a number of cars were bogged in the sticky conditions. In all, it took more than six hours to clear the cars from the parking areas and the last, left at approximately 9.50 p.m. after being towed from the mud by a tractor.

AH through the evening and the night the snail’s-pace on the highways took its toll of cars. At intervals were vehicles with broken axles—caused by excessive stopping and starting—some, with burned out radiators, and others suffered a variety of mechanical complaints.

The morning’s jam be#an when cars from Palmerston North and Fielding clashed at the foot of Mount Stewart. Cyclists and motor-cyclists on the other hand were able to proceed happily towards the aerodrome, park their machines without any difficulty and be inside the station after a journey of a couple of hours. The police arranged for announcements to be broadcast when it became apparent that many persons would be late returning home from Ohakea. They told the public there was “no cause for anxiety” if relatives and friends had not returned when they expected. “Relatives and friends” were still limping into Wellington in the small hours. “The control of the traffic was, under the circumstances, well handled.” said Mr W. A. Sutherland, secretary of the Wellington Automobile Association, today. “1 don’t think anybody predicted the traffic would be as heavy as it was.”

Mr Sutherland said the congestion at Ohakea was the biggest the Automobile Association had ever known in New Zealand. Reports from association officers had spoken of generally good behaviour. There had been no serious accidents, to his knowledge, though many bumper-to-tail accidents had been reported. Early Travellers An estimated 1000 people spent Friday night in and around the airfield. Some brought tents, others caravans, but most of them just slept in their cars. On Friday night, there was a good-sized volume of. traffic but it did not really start until about 3 a.m. yesterday. Throughout the rest of the day there was a con-

inuous stream along Rangitikei Line, the main Highway through Foxton and the Wanganui-Bulls main highway. By 7.30 a.m., the three main roads leading to Ohakea had reached saturation point and cars were bumper to bumper from Mount Stewart, Turakina and at the Whirokino bridge, just out of Foxton. It. had reached even more alarming proportions by 10 a.m. by which time about 15.000 cars had been parked in the three official areas. Traffic officers were on point duty from 6 a.m. onwards. At daybreak, between 8000 and 9000 cars were assembled on the three through routes to Ohakea and such was the extent of the build-up of traffic there was no let up for the rest of the day.