Carting livestock

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32612, 21 May 1971, Page 8

Carting livestock

Sir,—Do the Waimairi County Council and the Christchurch City Council have any control over the continual use of Blighs Road, Idris Road, and Stratford Street as a stock cartage route? All day and most of the night these massive trucks, most of them with trailers as well, grind their way along these streets to and from the saleyards. They constitute a serious traffic hazard, particularly at peak hours, and pollute this residential area with their emissions, both from their exhausts and their contents. Could not the operators of these vehicles be requested, or better still required, to use an alternative, non-residential route, such as Johns Road, RusMey Road, and Yaldhurst Road? Also, they must cause heavy wear and tear to these residential roads, and I would imagine that the respective councils would receive little recompense through petrol tax, as the bulk of their fuel would be purchased outside Christchurch. Could the councils concerned comment on this?—Yours, etc., IDRIS.

May 7, 1971. [Mr D. B. Rich, chairman of the Waimairi Qranty Council replies: “There is no restriction on the use of Blighs Road, Idris Road and Stratford Street by any class of motor vehicle as these roads are classified as Class 1. Stock trucks do not constitute a serious traffic hazard by using this route but where noise or fumes create a nuisance action can be taken. The suggested alternative route would not be reasonable because of the extra distance involved and to reach the saleyards from any direction would necessitate trucks travelling through closely-settled residential areas.”],