CROSSINGS MISUSED

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30530, 27 August 1964, Page 14

CROSSINGS MISUSED

Station Access Discussed A meeting of the Christchurch Metropolitan Road Safety Committee last evening decided to ask the National Roads Board and the Christchurch City Council for a report on the pedestrian crossing by the Railway station.

The resolution was moved by Mr F. R. Longley who said the crossing would be better if it was in front of the station entrance.

The chairman, Mr N. H. Browne, agreed. He said he had seen several incidents where cars had narrowly missed pedestrians. The reasons for this were that in Christchurch motorists do not give away as a matter of course to people on crossings and that the lighting in the area was insufficient. The meeting decided to state its views to the two bodies and ask if the crossing would be more suitable in front of the station entrance. Campaign Sought Arising from that discussion the meeting decided to ask the City Council traffic committee to carry out a programme to educate both motorists and pedestrians in the regulations governing pedestrian crossings. Mr R. K. Reddy said the misuse of pedestrian crossings in Christchurch would be the worst in New Zealand. When he first came to the city he felt it was safer not to use the crossings. “What is the use of having regulations if we do not enforce them?” he asked. Mr Browne said he thought the committee would find the annual number of prosecutions for jay-walking "alarmingly low.” Mr R. W. Taylor said the traffic department did carry out blitzes but afterwards people just drifted back to their bad habits. The aim should be for more light control, said Mr A. J. Luxton.

Mr J. Doodie said the only way to overcome the problem was for more Barnes dance lights at busy points in the city. Mr A. W. Savage disagreed and said that system would cause more delays and congestion.

Electrical Wholesalers. Officers elected at the annual meeting of the Canterbury and Westland Electrical Wholesalers’ Association included: President, Mr L. S. Boyles: vice-president, Mr 1. L. Malcolm: immediate pastpresident, Mr L. C. James; executive, Messrs J. B. McFarlane, F. C. Lee, E. L. Hatherley, G. Day, J. W. Clarke, and G. D. Stuart.