OPENING OF TUNNEL

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30277, 1 November 1963, Page 9

OPENING OF TUNNEL

First Traffic On Same Day

Once the Queen Mother has opened the ChristchurchLyttelton road tunnel on February 27 traffic will be allowed to use the tunnel

An all-out effort will be made to have the tunnel completed; and the chairman of the Road Tunnel Authority (Mr R. A. Witbrock) said yesterday it would be ready on time, more than tliree weeks earlier than the previ-ously-approved opening date of March 21.

The administration building may not be quite completed, but this will not affect the tunnel operation.

Mr Witbrock said the authority was delighted that the Queen Mother had consented to perform the opening ceremony, and he was sure that all sections of the community would welcome the news that such a historic occasion in the history of the province was to have the honour of a Royal guest.

Contractors and the authority would meet soon so that all could co-operate to get the tunnel functioning on time, he said.

News pf the Queen Mother’s visit to the city was welcomed by the DeputyMayor (Cr. H. P. Smith). It was too early for any suggestions about plans but it should be borne in mind that a reasonable measure of informality was wanted. All Lyttelton would be delighted that the Royal yacht Britannia would call at Lyttelton and that the Queen Mother would visit the port, said the Mayor of Lyttelton (Mr J. B. Collett).