TUNNEL HAZARDS Over-Width And Insecure Loads

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31153, 1 September 1966, Page 1

TUNNEL HAZARDS Over-Width And Insecure Loads

Insecure loading of trucks and over-width loads were hazards to tunnel users, the ChristchurchLyttelton Road Tunnel Authority was advised by its tunnel superintendent (Mr W. A. Wheldale) yesterday.

Reporting on checks made in May, Mr Wheldale said that 26 of the 7476 commercial vehicles that used the tunnel had over-width loads. Fifty other vehicles over-width had been allowed through under the authority’s special permit provisions.

“A very definite hazard is presented to other users of the tunnel by the existence of over-width vehicles, quite apart from that offered by vehicles carrying wool and cargo containers.” Mr Wheldale said. “These vehicles appear on an average of at least three a day.”

There was another hazard caused by loads that moved on truck trays or fell on the road. This happened when vehicles were loaded from ship's gear and/or the load was not expertly placed and secured. There had been extensive damage to loads, but fortunately there had been no personal injury, Mr Wheldale said.

Examples of insecure loads that had fallen on the road were bags of peas and grain, plastic moulds, bags of malt, a 3001 b bulldozer blade, cartons of woollen goods, two cased tractors and a complete combined harvester. Mr Wheldale said that a

case of theft was involved when a motor-cyclist decided to acquire a winter wardrobe from burst woollen goods containers. Mr Wheldale recommended an amendment to the by-laws on over-width vehicles and suggested that there should

be check-points set up so that by-laws could be enforced. The authority agreed with the gerieral manager (Mr L. H. Wilson) that the by-laws should not be altered; but decided that a check point for special vehicles at the Heathcote river bridge be approved in principle.