Antigua Street Bridge

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30529, 26 August 1964, Page 16

Antigua Street Bridge

Sir,*—ln this morning’s leader you state that the-road-ing-pattern should be considered as a whole. Maybe; but the first thing to. be considered as a whole is city life in all its aspects. While the demands of industry and commerce, must be bowed to, it is at bottom people who make a eity. There is no reason why Christchurch should become a Liverpool or Manchester, or, for that matter, an enormous traffic roundabout. (One might then man the city by robots, and eliminate hunians altogether. No need for Hagley Park or the University). A city cannot consist of a traffic plan, or of a commercial area. It can only be designed in areas which serve the needs and functions of all the’ inhabitants. While some of the changes in the west end are much to be deplored, it is not too late to save some of it at whatever cost to commerce and to traffic. “Villages” of high-density housing served only by peripheral roads have already been built overseas; there is no reason to imagine they might not be practicable here.—Yours, etc., RUTH FRANCE. August 25, 1964.