Crossing For Children To Be Investigated

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31017, 24 March 1966, Page 14

Crossing For Children To Be Investigated

The Christchurch Metropolitan Road Safety Committee is to make an independent investigation into the need of a pedestrian crossing, largely for the benefit of schoolchildren, at the intersection of Ham and Riccarton roads.

Mr D. J. Kelleher asked if the road safety committee could not lend its weight towards getting a crossing put there.

Mr D. L. Lynn, representing the Transport Department, explained to members that months ago his department had been asked by the Waimairi County Council to make a report on the requirement of a crossing at the intersection.

“Our report was that a pedestrian crossing was justiged, but we felt that one should not be installed unless the two schools in the area were prepared to provide school patrols,” said Mr Lynn. Traffic Heavy

The reason for this request, he said, was that traffic along the road was heavy and fast, and that to provide a crossing with no-one to patrol it was putting a lot of faith in the crossing. When approaches were made to the schools concerned, said Mr Lynn, it appeared that one was too far away and the other maintained different hours. “So there seemed to be no basis of agreement between them,” Mr Lynn said.

Mr J. A. Fraser suggested that an approach be made to the parent-teacher associations of the two schools. The Waimairi County Council representative (Mr D. B. Rich) said that if the schools had not seen fit to act in the matter he did not see why the committee should try to tell them what to do. Parents’ Problem The chairman (Mr N. H. Browne) said he felt the parents of the young children had a problem and as a road safety committee it had a duty to help. The committee decided, on the recommendation of Mr H. Lynch, to form a sub-commit-tee and make an independent investigation, the results of which were to be reported back at the next meeting. It was also decided to contact the respective parent-teacher associations and headmasters of the two schools for their views.