Wellington Traffic Plan

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30230, 7 September 1963, Page 10

Wellington Traffic Plan

The announcement of details of the proposed Wellington master traffic plan should not pass unnoticed in Christchurch. The Wellington plan, prepared by overseas consultants at considerable expense, shows that such a scheme must be both distasteful to some persons and costly, but that the penalty for delay is “ snowballing ” chaos in city streets. The Wellington plan covers only a very small part of the city, and it is estimated that four miles of motorway alone will cost £2O million. In addition, the plan will require another £2.8 million for parking buildings. It will also swallow up the Basin Reserve, Wellington’s chief cricket ground and almost the only recreation area handy to the city centre. Any practicable alternajve would be more costly. Christchurch can be thankful its problems are less difficult.

In Wellington, as in Christchurch, the total costs involved have been seized on by opponents as a good argument for doing nothing.

What they do not appear to realise is that this expenditure is a reproductive i investment, returning rich dividends in money and human life. Overseas experience has shown that transport savings in fuel, wear and tear, and collision damage quickly pay for roading systems that separate motor traffic from pedestrians, and slowmoving, turning traffic from traffic that should flow smoothly. It has also shown that accident rates for personal injury and death fall sharply where roads are improved. A good deal of nonsense is often talked about the duty of governments to establish new industries, however uneconomic, to provide employment for a growing population instead of relying on natural economic growth. The design, construction, and operation of modern city road systems, however, comprise an economic industry showing good returns and saving expenditure of overseas funds on fuel and accessories. As such, roading deserves encouragement.