Road Over Portal ‘Horrible Mess, Danger To Public’

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29894, 7 August 1962, Page 17

Road Over Portal ‘Horrible Mess, Danger To Public’

Criticism of the new road above the Lyttelton tunnel portal, which he described as “just a horrible mess and a danger to the public." was made by Cr. N. D Parratt at a meeting of the Lyttelton Council last evening. After he had complained of the delay in receiving any concrete action from previous representations, it was decided to write again to the Road Tunnel Authority and the Ministry of Works, asking for som .'thing to be done promptly and a meeting was requested to discuss the 1 situation with council representatives Cr Parratt also moved that the council’s electrical committee should take urgent action to provide temp irary or permanent lighting in the area due to the danger to pedestrains and vehicles. Traffic At Portal Following a meeting between the Mayor (Mr J. B. Collett), council members and transport and traffic representatives, recommendations for the traffic control of oversized vehicles entering the road tunnel portal were msde in a report to the council The report said: ■ 1* The committee had no objection to the erection of a .raffle control building in the centre of the island. (2) It was agreed that the suggestion of a parking place for oversized vehicles near the tunnel mouth was impractical and vehicles should continue in the roundabout. (3* That a suitable area should be provided for the .esling of vehicles for oversize before entering the tunnel. <4) That the Road Tunnel Authority should consider imposing adequate heavy penalties on all oversize vehicles entering the tunnel The report was adopted. New Well Site According to a report from the council’s consulting engineer <Mr H. G. Royds*. the council could have saved £6OO in electric current last year, if it had supplied its

own power to Nos. 1 and 2 pump houses at Heathcote, .nstead of purchasing it from the M E D. The report added that £BOO a year might be saved wnen the new pump was installed in the proposed new well to be sunk adjacent to No. 1 pump house. As the council held a licence extending to the proposed site, the report suggested that there would be no difficulty in takmg over the electrical supply when high' .ension lines had been erected In view of the fact that the Ministry of Works had, since his earlier recommendation indica.ed that it was reserving a further area of the r.vei bank for use as a future clover leaf, the consulting engineer said in his report, hat the present pump house would be in the centre of the clover leaf and would probably have to be removed. An alternative site, some two and a half chains to the West of the pump, house, was suggested by the report although this site created power supply difficulties The council had no licence to supply power to this point and would not be able to j-btain an extension until it was supplying its own power to the present pump house, •he report said An application to the ME D would have to be made, the report said, and this would prevent the council from applying for an extension of its licence in the future, besides prejudicing its own licence. In view of these factors the report suggested the following alternatives:— (1* Subject to being able to purchase the land, sink the well on the new site some 21 chains West of the pump house, and request the M.E.D to supply an extension of power to it. thus abandoning the council’s own scheme to supply power. *2) Sink the well on the new site and use the present pump installed in the pump house which would give a little more water. *3) Sink the well on the new site and install a new

pump in the pump house This pump would not be expected to produce as much water as a submersible pump. (4) Sink the well on land to be acquired east of the motor way. (5) Sink the well on the site of the present pump house as originally suggested by the consulting engineer. In this case, however, no compensation would be payable to the council for loss of the well should the pump house have to be moved. The Ministry of Works had told the consulting engineer, that the clover leaf would only be constructed when the land at present owned by British Pavements was industrialised, the report said This might not occur for many years. The only real loss the council would sustain would be the cost of withdrawing the pipe and sinking it on a new site The saving in power costs would easily offset the cost, the report said In conclusion, the report urged the council to make a final decision on whether to proceed with the high-tension line erection or not, ' for which money had been set as de On the motion of Cr A R Champion, it was decided 'o •nake a"p!i~aticn to the New Zealand Electricity Department for permission to erect a high-tension line as a first step The council also decided to refer the balance of the report to the water committee for further consideration Forthcoming Election There will probably be three vacancies for membership of the council at the election next October Crs A R Champioq. R F Barrett and D P Souter said last evening that they would not be standing again The Mayor (Mr J B Collett* said that he would stand again Cycle Race Permit The council granted permission to the Christchurch Cycling Club <lnc*. tp pass through Lyttelton on its “Round the Bays” race on August 18.