Master Traffic Plan—V CENTRAL PRECINCT URGED BY GROUP

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30057, 15 February 1963, Page 14

Master Traffic Plan—V CENTRAL PRECINCT URGED BY GROUP

[By the City Planning Study Group]

(This is the last of five articles on the Christchurch master transportation plan by members of the City Planning Study Group. Unlike the earlier signed articles, which did not necessarily represent the opinions of all members of the group, the final article and the accompanying plan have been unanimously ap-

proved by the group.] The group considers that the master traffic plan is remarkably accurate and complete in its design of a new traffic system for the whole city, and agrees in principle with the roading pattern designed for the suburban areas. The principle of a northsouth motorway, taking traffic out of the city streets and allowing through traffic to by-pass the city centre, is also excellent

The group congratulates Miss Northcroft and her assistants, who have carried out their commission very thoroughly indeed. The group accepts the statement of the Regional Planning Authority that the traffic plan is in sketch form only, particularly in the central area. Likening themselves to a client confronted with a professionally designed sketch plan, they wish to ask as many useful questions as possible, and to offer ideas to ensure that the traffic plan will give to all the citizens in this motor age a city as beautiful and workable as Christchurch has been for 120 years.

The group have studied the central eity area between the belts, and the Sydenham industrial area roading proposals only. We accept the suburban traffic plant because suburban travel is increasingly by car and the master traffic plan provides for this. Coping with the Car The attitude of the group to the motor-car and the city centre can be summarised as follows: Either we allow steady erosion of the central city areas to cope with the motorcar, or we try to maintain a correct balance between the vital economic worth of this area, and our desire to use the motor-car. The Regional Planning Authority says that our use of motor-cars is nearly the same as America’s and we are reminded that our city ia almost the same age as Los Angeles. Los Angeles has handed its centre over to the automobile. Vast motorways, parking buildings, and more and more space have been given over. The centre has become so shattered it can no longer support the cost of complete freedom for the car. Travel by car is so much easier in the country and suburbs because of the lack of building concentration. But central areas have such a concentration of buildings, busy people, and diversity of living, that not all who use it can travel indiscriminately by car within its limits. Put another way, concentration of city land use cuts down on city traffic use. The group believe that through traffic across the city centre slows everything down, and is better and faster rerouted round the belts. Evidence shows that up to onethird of all traffic in the central area is through traffic and should not be there. People not stopping should be kept out, and shoppers and all the people who work or add to the economic life of the city should have easy access Garden Tradition The group studied the traditional plan of Christchurch: its historic garden city development, its unique system of roading, city belts and parks, especially in the central area. Taking all this information, they placed it alongside the new master transportation plan and discussed it thoroughly. Some members of the group are professionally trained to analyse and plan from facts; others among them are fond of their city and want only to prevent the destruction of its natural charm, unless it is absolutely necessary. Therefore they ask: “Let us be certain we are doing the best thing.” The group have drawn a sketch plan showing how the central area could be developed. The plan is in simple sketch form to give readers the main theme. Christchurch was planned in 1850 by surveyors and architects whose tradition was that of standard English planning based on spacious Georgian residential squares. These men brought to this country the elegant park tradition of English country estates. It was their wish to give Christchurch this parkland atmosphere of the best in England. Because of them, we now find this liberal and humane tradition will accommodate the latest systems of town planning without any great trouble.

The group’s plan is based upon a fundamental and traditional viewpoint of city planning—the idea of a “precinct” as old as city history. In England it takes the form of cathedral doses, shopping arcades, open residential squares, all city areas having a sense of place, identity, and purpose. Amendments Urged The group in the main accept the master traffic plan proposals in the central areas but with alterations which they consider need further discussion. The sketch plan accompanying this artide shows these variations.

Any central area plan should not involve wholesale demolition, or vast schemes of a dream-like nature having unlimited cost conditions. Most of us enjoy walking in the dty and by the side of our rivers; and all of us fundamentally like the verve and excitement of our shopping streets. Most of us, too, would like to ride in motorcars, and the group's plan

makes it possible to do both these things. Modern planning provides for nearby residential areas, including new flats, for those wishing to live dose in to the dty centre. A grave feult with the master transportation plan is that It destroys a large area ideal for these purposes just north of the Avon river, with two noisy elevated motorways, four oneway streets, and half a dozen major roads.

Fewer Motorway Ramps It will, then, not be hard to imagine these neighbourhood areas crowded with traffic getting on and off fast motorways, making it impossible to plan for green park areas, limited cul-de-sac service streets, and grassy safe walks into the centre of the city. The group are adamant that the north-south motorway should have fewer ramps sweeping into the central area, but instead should feed traffic on to the ring roads formed by the dty belts and the distribution ring roads round the central area containing the new town hall and Cathedral square. Certain central area streets should have small lawns and a tree in the middle to form service access only in a cul-de-sac, and not allow through traffic. The daily commuter traffic into the city area will also be taken off the streets and accommodated in wellplaced parking buildings. The central city area should be considered as a complete economic unit, and the existing zoning restrictions should be relaxed to allow for more intensive building types and much greater diversity of land use.

The group would like to see the master traffic plan developed more towards the idea of neighbourhood precincts already referred to. Residential precincts, with the addition of small businesses and some light industries, could develop and use nearby available staff; thus the streets would be busier and more crowded with life all the time, while the motor-car would be on the streets only for local purposes. Light industrial and commercial organisations should use these areas to much better advantage. Cul-de-sac. Streets

The precinct access roads would sometimes only be short distances from the main collector roads or the motorway. They are quieter streets, separated by a belt of trees, or a cul-de-sac street There could never be any breach of this pattern or through traffic would again develop. From these quieter neighbourhood streets traffic will move to the faster major roads and finally on to the motorway. The group consider that the master traffic plan should be accepted in principle only. The group consider that the plan in basic concept is very good; but some major modifications are very necessary. The whole of the central area planning should be given much more study. The cost and disadvantages of the Avonside-Fendalton motorway should be more carefully considered. Much closer consideration should be given to the use of inner-area one-way ring roads, precinct, and cul-de-sac roads.

The group consider their central area proposals may be less costly than the proposals shown in the master traffic plan. The group’s central area plan could be implemented gradually with little upheaval to existing buildings.