Haste Urged For City Motorways

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30998, 2 March 1966, Page 11

Haste Urged For City Motorways

Any further delay over the Christchurch Master Transportation Plan would cost Christchurch dearly, not only in money but in increasing property disturbance, said Mr E. J. Bradshaw, the chairman of the Christchurch Regional Planning Authority, yesterday.

Mr Bradshaw drew the authority’s attention to Professor Colin Buchanan’s expressed opinion that the city’s programme for the construction of the motorways was much too slow and too far ahead, and that, on a combination of traffic and environmental grounds, much of the motorway construction was justified now.

“A great deal too much invaluable time has already been lost in the failure to agree on the Master Traffic Plan,” he said. “While I think we can appreciate the difficulties of the Christchurch City Council in making decisions on controversial issues, I feel we can now fairly expect very early consideration and finality.” Professor Buchanan had endorsed the necessity for the Hagley Park motorway, and had added that the effect of the road on the park could be substantially mitigated by careful design. “Those who have the responsibility of deciding on a matter which is of great importance to future generations will surely now be m no doubt as to their proper course,” said Mr Bradshaw. He said that the authority and the City Council had always been concerned to do everything practicable to preserve the Rolleston avenue area and river precinct, and the Antigua street bridge was adopted in the authority’s plan only after very full consideration of possible alternatives to the use of Rolleston avenue as a distributor road. Strong Objection “Professor Buchanan has expressed strong objection to the proposed,bridge, has suggested that this environmental area should be the subject of further studies, and that in the meantime the bridge should not be built. As the professor has pointed out, he and his associates had no opportunity to undertake the further studies he suggests.” said Mr Bradshaw. “What we can say as a re-

suit of the studies already made, is that any alternative to the use of Rolleston avenue poses very real problems indeed, problems which are aggravated by the closing of Victoria street in relation to the siting of the town hall. This does not mean that nothing should be done and the City Council will no doubt be giving the matter fresh consideration in the light of Professor Buchanan’s opinion. Any assistance which this authority can give the council will be readily available at all times.” Mr Bradshaw suggested that the part of Professor Buchanan’s report dealing with the need for a comprehensive plan for the whole metropolitan area should receive serious consideration from all of the authority’s constituent councils. In the light of the professor’s comments it might well be felt that for the good of a co-ordinated planning of the whole region, greater and wider authorities and functions could well be vested in the Regional Planning Authority. Fully Endorsed Mr Bradshaw said the members of the authority would have derived satisfaction from the fact that its officers had produced a plan which had been fully endorsed in all its major concepts by an acknowledged world authority. ‘“This satisfaction should, I

suggest be shared by the public of Christchurch as a whole,” he said. “In a work of such magnitude and complexity it is natural that there should have been some criticism and doubt but in far too many instances over the ; last three years or so has the work of our officers been . decried and discredited. i “In the light of Professor : Buchanan’s report the critics . should now be prepared to > join us in being proud of • those (New Zealanders in- > eluded) who have so clearly demonstrated their ability in t their chosen professions.” Mr F. W. Freeman told the 1 authority that Christchurch was “dragging the chain.” He ‘ had recently been in Auck- ' land and was amazed at the amount of money being spent ■ on motorways there since 1950. ’ “Auckland and Wellington ' seem to be getting as much ; money as they can call upon : —mainly from the National 1 Roads Board,” he said. “And ’ what are we doing? Looking J at it and arguing, getting ' good advice and not taking it” Mr R. C. Neville said he ■ did not think it right for I the authority to recommend i wider authority for itself. I That went a bit far, and I should be removed from the i chairman’s report. Mr Bradshaw said it was only a suggestion, and not a I recommendation.