Higher City Speed Limit Opposed

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30541, 9 September 1964, Page 3

Higher City Speed Limit Opposed

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, September 8. The Minister of Transport (Mr McAlpine) is opposed to raising the 30 miles an hour urban speed limit to 35 miles an hour.

He told Mr W. W. Freer (OppiL, Mt. Albert) in the House of Representatives today that evidence which came before him was mainly for more restrictions, rather than an increase in the limit Mr Freer said he thought it ludicrous that in many places traffic was kept down to 30 miles an hour. Passenger transport buses in Auckland had to keep up schedules and they were averaging up to 35 and 38 miles an hour. All the traffic was travelling at that speed. Mr McAlpine said he approved the United States system of having different speed limits on approach to a city. During the discussion of the Transport Department esti-

mates he said he had power to enforce speed limits on local bodies, but hesitated to use this power. Mr Freer also sought an inquiry into cars where the rear portion of the front seat comes forward when the vehicle is suddenly stopped. His attention had recently been drawn to a 30 miles an hour accident where a young woman had been thrown through the windscreen because of the back of the seat was not secure. “This mini-type vehicle should be closely examined,” he said. Mr McAlpine said this had been a worry in such cars. “1 would advise people in them to wear safety belts.”