Crossing delays

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33929, 23 August 1975, Page 14

Crossing delays

Sir, —How much longer are; we to be subjected to long; slow-moving diesel engines holding tip traffic during peak periods at the Montreal Street crossing? The obvious answer is to find an alternative route, but with the Government asking us to conserve petrol the easiest way is the shortest. Surely the Railways can be banned from shunting during peak traffic periods?—Yours, etc., HELD-UP AND FED-UP. August 15, 1975. [Mr C. S. Roscoe, district traffic manager, New Zealand Railways, replies: “While I am sympathetic to motorists held up by train and shunting movements at busy level crossings in built up areas, the only alternative to these interruptions is to have separate carriage ways for road and rail traffic. Overhead bridges are very costly and consequently local bodies are not able to erect; these on all streets which cross railway lines .It I would not be practical to ban shunting movements! over Montreal Street during] peak traffic hours because; this coincides with the collection of goods which are( loaded during the day for] dispatch by overnight trains.' I understand the long term plans of the city envisage an overhead bridge for Montreal Street, and 1 am sure the delays to which ‘Held Up and Fed Up’ is subjected will ease when the Durham Street overbridge is completed.”]