More Control Sought Over Snow Traffic

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31730, 13 July 1968, Page 14

More Control Sought Over Snow Traffic

Lack of action by the Transport Department in controlling winter sports traffic was criticised at a meeting of the Malvern County Council yesterday. People were using the West Coast Highway when it was completely unsafe with snow and ice, and the department should take some action, said Cr R. M. D Johnson. “Traffic should be far more rigorously controlled when conditions are bad,” he said, referring especially to weekend winter sports traffic at Porter’s Pass.

Cr W. R. Oliver asked to what extent the council was expected to grade roads clear of snow to help trapped motorists. Three or four carloads of people had been stranded at Lake Ida, he said. The council agreed that snow grading should continue on roads in the Lake Coleridge area today and on Sunday, if necessary. Complaints, were made of winter sports traffic speeding through Springfield, Darfield and Kirwee, and of bad driving habits generally.

The Transport Department said that week-end patrols were a problem because of staff shortage, and normally, there would be only one inspector for the county, said the clerk (Mr B. W. Perrin).

Additional patrols would be made this week-end of the highways and Lake Ida. More use was being made of micro-wave detectors to try to reduce excessive speeds through built-up areas, said the traffic inspector (Mr B. L. Crook).