In Province Soon

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30840, 27 August 1965, Page 1

In Province Soon

Traffic patrols with plain cars would start in the Canterbury area soon, possibly next week, said the district officer of the Transport Department (Mr D. L. Hogan) yesterday. The cars would patrol day and night.

When the Christchurch office of the department takes delivery of its new plain cars —the number has not been announced—it will also take delivery of 10 new marked cars. The plain cars are additional to the normal fleet.

Mr Hogan emphasised that the officers would be in uniform, except possibly for caps. Officers must put on their caps when they left plain cars to speak to motorists.

The cars would have radio and detachable flashing light, which could be used when they were at an accident. The cars would make both routine patrols and special patrols. Experienced officers only would drive the plain cars, and most such officers on the department’s local force would take turns at this duty. The cars would concentrate on reckless and accidentpromoting driving rather than minor infringements, Mr Hogan said.

The use of plain and marked cars would, it was hoped, give some comparison of the efficiency of each method.

The Canterbury Drivers’ Union this week expressed concern at tl e decision to introduce plain-car patrols. The union’s secretary (Mr A. S. Roberts) yesterday said that the union at its halfyearly meeting considered that the action taken by the Minister of Transport (Mr McAlpine) could lead to comparable action by other Government departments.

The union was of the opinion that the Transport Department was understaffed. The Minister should consider increasing the number of traffic officers on the road.