TRAFFIC SWITCH

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32874, 24 March 1972, Page 10

TRAFFIC SWITCH

The traffic controls at two Stanmore Road intersections have been changed to improve the safety and flow of both pedestrian and vehicular traffic.

The former “Give way” signs on Gloucester Street and Hereford Street have been removed and compulsory “Stop” signs erected against Stanmore Road traffic.

This has been done in the hope that traffic would be encouraged to use Gloucester and Hereford Streets, rather than Worcester Street for going to and from the city. Until now the biggest flow of traffic from the city turning left into Stanmore Road has been down Worcester Street, with a consequent build-up of traffic through the shopping centre on Stanmore Road between Worcester and Gloucester Streets.

A survey taken over the last three years showed that the Gloucester and Worcester Street intersections with Stanmore Road had an average of 20 injury accidents a year each. The Christchurch City Council traffic engineer (Mr M. L. Gadd) said the main reasons for the change were the accidents which had occurred in the area and the delays which had been experienced. Further, the traffic engineering department believed that Gloucester and Hereford Streets were the streets which should be used for traffic going to and from the city, and the use of them would accord with proposals for the city centre—which was not the case with Worcester Street. Also Hereford and Gloucester Streets had better intersection with Linwood Avenue than Worcester Street Stanmore Road had been “over-emphasised” as a through route, Mr Gadd said.