Meeting On Ham Parking Problem

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32381, 21 August 1970, Page 12

Meeting On Ham Parking Problem

Car-parking at the University of Canterbury site at Ham has become such a problem that representatives of the Waimairi County Council and the university have met to consider the question.

The meeting had decided on an approach to the Christchurch Transport Board for assistance, and to hold further meetings on the question when necessary, the Waimairi County Council was told last evening. The meeting of council and university representatives had been told .that the parking problem at the university had caused much concern to the council and had brought many complaints from residents living near the university, a report of the meeting said.

Cr R. C. Neville said that while the council could prohibit parking in front of residences bounding the university property, this would penalise the property-owners affected and the council would be loathe to take such a step. He said that at 11.30 a.m on July 23, 142 cars and 45 motor-cycles and scooters had been counted parked in Creyke Road, 19 cars in Montana Avenue, and 59 cars in Ham Road. At the Teachers’ Training College area the check showed 111 cars and 29 motorcycles parked in Dovedale Avenue, and six cars in Rutherglen Avenue. At the Teachers’ College 82 cars were parked on the site; at the university only seven cars'were parked in the new 500-car car park adjoining Clyde Road. This showed that students were not using the car parks provided on the campus but parked in the streets, and this was the reason for the complaints to the council, Cr Neville said.

The Chancellor (Mr T. H. McCombs) said it was unfortunate there was no way to stop students parking in the street, as this was quite legal. Also it was impossible to identify students’ cars as such. Policing would be a tremendous problem if it was attempted. The county chairman (Cr D. B. Rich) said that in the long term there would not be enough parking space available on the site for students. The Vice-Chancellor (Professor N. C. Phillips) agreed, and said the authorities would have to encourage students in every way possible to use public transport or two-wheeled vehicles. He felt that the universitj authorities should also obtain the co-operation of the Transport Board to provide an efficient bus service. It was estimated that a carpark building on the site would cost $lBOO to $2OOO a space, hot counting the cost of the land. Any attempt to cope with car-parking provis ion at Ham, in the long term, was doomed to failure, Professor Phillips said.

Mr McCombs said the universty had spent $lOO,OOO on car-parking at Ilam. All the council could do was to have a parking-time restriction. The meeting decided that the staffs of the university, the council and the Teachers’ College should consult on the matter with a view to making a joint approach -to the Transport Board.

Salaries Discussion Likely. —Parliament will probably consider the Royal Commission’s report on members’ salaries next week, the Prime Minister (Sir Keith Holyoake) said yesterday.—(P.A.)