Chch traffic ‘increasing’

Press, 12 August 1980, Page 6

Chch traffic ‘increasing’

Christchurch traffic was beginning to increase again after falling off in 1977 to 1979, said the regional traffic engineer of the Canterbury United Council (Mr J. L. Robb) last evening. He told a hearing of the Christchurch City District Scheme Hearings Panel that traffic on the main roads was no longer declining and counts showed a slight in-j crease; it was too early to be sure that the trend would continue. . >■ ,

Mr Robb made the comment in submissions on behalf of the United Council, which objected to an application by Johap . Francis Nederpfilt for planning consent to. use a former chemist’s shop at 333’Pages Road, near the intersection with Breezes Road, as a take-away food shop. Mr Robb said that the road

widening provided for in the Christchurch district scheme] would effectively remove 1 shops at the intersection of Pages Road and Breezes Road except for those on one corner, where there would be adequate parking and safe access.

Mr N. J. Williams, senior engineering assistant (traffic) for the City Council, said Traffic counts last May showed that about 9300 vehicles a day passed the intersection during week-days, increasing to more than 15,500 on Saturdays. Of the nine objectors, five were from owners of competing shops in Aranui and New Brighton. One of them, Mr K. A. Skilton, said that 23 shops that served food were within a 4km radius of the. applicant’s shop. Counsel for the applicant (Mr M. J. Sweeney) said the

profitability of commercial enterprises should not be taken into account by the panel.

.The panel, comprising Sir Terence McCombs, Cr D. J. Rowlands and Cr Newton Dodge, will submit its recommendation to the full City Council for a decision.